Hi there! After a month hiatus, I'm back with the third arc of this series! Enjoy ^^


In the darkness of the night, the young woman dragged her heavy grocery bag on her way home. She always procrastinated when it was time to do the groceries, thus always ended up carrying an unnecessarily heavy bag when she finally went to the supermarket. And she always went late because she kept saying "I'll next hour" until it was past dinner. Making sure her hoodie was hiding her face, she continued to walk, her arm starting to feel numb.

Just to add to her struggle, it started to rain. The young woman started to hurry, her hoodie feeling more and more damp. When she finally reached her apartment building she dropped her bag for a moment, having lost sensation in her hand. Then she picked it up with her other hand and went down the stairs, her apartment being in the basement. She grabbed her keys and unlocked the door before stepping inside.

As usual, her place was a mess. She headed for the kitchen and put her bag on the table. She started to unpack her groceries, mostly instant ramen, frozen meals, snacks and alcohol. As she put those where they belonged, she noticed that she was leaving wet spots on the floor. Her clothes were dripping from the rainwater.

She went to the bathroom and started undressing. It felt good to finally remove those cold, wet, and sticky clothes. She then took a glance in the mirror. She was paler than ever and looked so tired. Her gaze was immediately attracted to the scar on her belly. This mark was a reminder of her sins.

Shiena grabbed a bathrobe and put it on, the warm and soft fabric feeling so comfortable on her cold skin. She went back to the kitchen and finished unpacking her grocery before going to her room. Just like the rest of her apartment, it was messy. She didn't care.

She sat in front of her computer. She had some work to finish.

That company won't get hacked by itself.


She woke up with a sharp pain around her abdomen. When she opened her eyes, everything felt so bright and blurry. All she could tell was that it wasn't her room.

"Kenmochi."

Shiena tried to raise her head to see who was calling her but it hurt too much to move even slightly. So she just laid still on the bed.

"Na… Namatame?" Shiena guessed.

The brunette managed to at last turn her head and confirm that it was indeed Chitaru. Her coworker was standing near her, bandages around her neck.

"Sorry to bother you when you just woke up, but I need to talk to you."

"What… what happened? Are you… hurt?"

"Takechi Otoya did this. She stabbed me in the neck but, luckily, I survived. She stabbed you in the stomach."

Shiena felt a chill down her spine. She remembered. She went to Otoya's house to warn her about Chitaru but arrived too late.

She betrayed Otoya and she punished her for that.

"Kenmochi… you could get in big trouble for what you did. You purposefully hid important information about an investigation and kept the identity of a serial killer from AKA. You could get accused of being an accomplice and get tried for being complicit in multiple murders."

Shiena already knew that. She knew what she was getting into when she told the truth to Chitaru. And she regretted it. Not because she got into trouble, but because she failed to warn Otoya in time.

"Where… where is Otoya?"

"We don't know. After she stabbed you, she escaped, and nobody saw her."

Somehow, Shiena was relieved.

"You don't have to worry. I didn't tell anyone about your involvement," Chitaru said. "But… I'm afraid to say I can no longer trust you. You are not fit to be an agent."

Shiena remained quiet for a moment, not sure she understood what Chitaru was saying. Chitaru sighed before she gazed at Shiena.

"You're fired, Kenmochi."


She really did screw up big, didn't she?

This was what Shiena constantly thought about. She was haunted by her sins every hour of the day. She lied, manipulated, betrayed. So many people had faith in her and she let them down- and because of her actions, people died. She truly was the unworthy scum she always believed herself to be.

It would have been better if Otoya killed her that day.

Shiena couldn't escape that thought. She survived being stabbed but perhaps she shouldn't have. After all the trouble she caused, all the pain, she should have died…

She didn't think she could atone for what she had done. Perhaps surviving was her punishment after all. This way, she'll have to live the rest of her life with this guilt weighing on her shoulders.

Knock knock knock

Shiena flinched. For a moment, she didn't move and remained in front of her computer. It must have been someone knocking on another door-

Knock knock knock!

No doubt now. It was at her door. Who could that be? Nobody knew where she moved to. It couldn't be one of her acquaintances…

So who? The mailman? She didn't order anything though. Could it be a neighbour that needed to borrow something? She doubted it.

Then who…?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Shiena felt her heart skip a beat. Whoever it was, they were persistent. Shiena started to feel panic rose in her.

Then, a sudden thought crossed her mind.

What if it was Otoya?

No, it couldn't… Otoya shouldn't know where she lived either…

Yet, Shiena continued to think it could be her. If someone could find her, it had to be Otoya.

This is what she wanted to believe.

Without thinking much Shiena rushed towards the door as she had nothing to lose anyway and opened it.

"Good evening, Kenmochi-san."

Shiena froze. It wasn't Otoya. Far worse, in fact. It was someone she really didn't want to see standing in her door frame. Never again.

"... K-Kirigaya!?"

Hitsugi was standing there, smiling innocently as she was holding… a teddy bear?

"How… how did you find me…?" was all Shiena managed to say.

"My my, Kenmochi-san, did you really think you could hide from me? Did you forget who I am?" Hitsugi said with a cute chuckle.

Of course. She used to be an assassin. She probably knew how to track her target. Shiena wanted to talk but this time, she didn't manage to find her words. She never expected this situation so she just didn't know what to say.

"May I come in?" Hitsugi suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

Shiena was tempted to just close the door right on her face but she knew it was useless. Hitsugi would probably just force herself inside. Not resisting seemed like avoiding an unpleasant step in whatever Hitsugi had planned. So Shiena just got out of the way.

"Sure," Shiena simply said.

"Hehe, thanks!" Hitsugi said as she stepped inside.

She removed her shoes and closed the door behind her. Was she surprised by Shiena's uncharacteristic cooperation? If she was she didn't snow it. After all, Hitsugi was a natural liar.

"Would you like something to drink?" Shiena asked, trying to act as if everything was normal to throw off Hitsugi, but she couldn't hide the anxiousness in her voice.

"No thanks," Hitsugi said, looking around. "You really aren't a tidy person, huh, Kenmochi-san? Your previous apartment was messy, too."

Shiena was starting to lose patience. Was Hitsugi just toying with her again? Whatever she came here for she should just get straight to the point already.

"Can we quit the chit-chat already? Why are you here?" Shiena said as coldly as her shaky voice could.

Hitsugi's innocent smile suddenly turned darker.

"If you just continue to play dumb we could have had a much more pleasant conversation, Kenmochi-san."

"Cut that shit out. We both know you're not here with good intentions. No conversation with you can be pleasant."

Hitsugi was grinning now.

"It's not like I enjoy talking to you either, Kenmochi-san."

"Then why did you come here? If it's so unpleasant to talk to me. You could have spared both of us from an unpleasant moment-"

"Where's Takechi Otoya?"

Shiena froze. Hitsugi wasn't smiling anymore. Her gaze was gloomy and her voice turned cold and dark. Shiena felt a chill run down her spine.

"I… I don't know…"

"Huh, really? And here I was half-expecting that she might be hiding at your place..."

Hitsugi took a few steps towards Shiena, who was still paralyzed with fear.

"You wouldn't be lying to me, right, Kenmochi-san?"

"N-No… I'm not lying… I really don't know where she was! Why would I!?"

Hitsugi was standing right in front of her, staring into her eyes as if she was seeing through her very soul.

"True. Takechi-san tried to kill you, didn't she? She stabbed you. Why would you try to protect her, right? It's not like you'd still have feelings for her… am I right?"

Shiena could feel cold sweats dripping down her back.

"O-Obviously! How could I love someone who tried to murder me? Someone who tried to kill Namatame too!"

Hitsugi's gaze turned darker.

"Yes. Takechi-san… tried to kill… my precious Chitaru-san. This is unforgivable. Truly unforgivable! This is why…"

Hitsugi suddenly pulled a gun from her teddy bear.

"I must make Takechi-san pay! By killing the one she loves!"

Shiena didn't move. She couldn't. She was paralyzed by fear. But at the same time, she didn't feel like fighting back or even begging to be spared. She knew it would be useless.

"Do you really think it will hurt Otoya? She tried to kill me. She probably doesn't care if you kill me at this point. It would all be in vain."

Hitsugi continued to aim at her before she suddenly burst into laughter.

"Right? It's not like Takechi-san cares about you. Killing you wouldn't hurt her in the slightest. She doesn't care about you anymore. She probably never had, to be frank."

Somehow, those words hurt more than any blade or bullet could.

"Then what is the meaning of this?" Shiena asked, trying to hide her pain.

"Frankly, I just wanted to be sure Takechi-san wasn't hiding here. If she was, I would have killed you both. But since you are being a good girl, I might spare you. I just wanted to tease you, after all. As payback."

Hitsugi was back at being serious.

"What happened that night? Why did Chitaru-san get hurt? What was she doing at Takechi-san's house? Why were you there too? No matter how much I question her, she keeps avoiding the subjects."

Shiena had a bad feeling about this. She knew damn well why Chitaru was keeping it a secret, and she knew Hitsugi would probably get mad if she knew the truth. But at this point, there was no point in lying anymore. It was time that she faced some of her sins and accept the consequences of her actions.

"It was all my fault. Namatame… got hurt because of me," Shiena admitted.

This answer didn't seem to please Hitsugi at all. She clenched her weapon.

"How so?"

"I… told her the truth. About Otoya. Who she truly was. So she went to her house… to stop her."

"Why did you do that?"

"Otoya… attacked me. She killed my mother and got upset when I got angry at her. So she punched me. I escaped and… I was scared. So I told the truth to Namatame… because I thought it was the right thing to do… but I was wrong."

"Why were you wrong?"

Shiena clenched her fists as tears started to bead in her eyes.

"I should… never had get involved with Otoya in the first place! Because of me… Namatame got hurt… she could have died because of me! So many people died because I fell in love with Otoya! All of this is my fault… I'm sinful-"

Shiena didn't see it coming. Hitsugi had suddenly rushed towards her and pinned her against the floor. Shiena remained shocked for a moment as Hitsugi pressed the gun under her chin.

"Idiot… now isn't the time for some self-pity. I should really just kill you. As you said, people died because of you… not that I care about that. But you got Namatame hurt, and for that, I can't forgive you. This is a sin I can't forgive."

"... Fine. Kill me. I deserve it. I shouldn't have survived in the first place, so you may as well just finish Otoya's job…. But, am I really so sinful… to have fallen in love with someone I shouldn't have?"

Somehow, those words seem to resonate with Hitsugi. She let out a bitter chuckle.

"You're not even fun to kill. And here I thought I could vent my frustration on you, but I just ended up more frustrated…"

Hitsugi then stood up.

"Alright. I won't kill you. This time. If you answer my question correctly."

"... What more do you want to know…?"

"Did you tell Chitaru-san about my real identity?"

Shiena remained quiet. Did she mean about being an assassin? Being part of Black Guild in the past? Being Angel Trumpet, the very being Chitaru was determined to catch? Now that she thought of it, Hitsugi didn't know she figured out she was Angel Trumpet, and it was probably for the best that she stay ignorant about this detail.

"No, I didn't…"

"Is that so? Very well then, I believe you. You are a bad liar after all."

As she said that, Hitsugi walked to the door and put back her shoes, and Shiena stood up.

"Kirigaya… you truly do love Namatame, right?"

Hitsugi didn't bother to turn back.

"Of course I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be tracking your psycho ex-girlfriend to kill her."

On those words, Hitsugi left the apartment.


The piles of corpse kept growing and growing. There were so many dead bodies that they now formed a mountain. Shiena could see someone at the top, standing, but it was too far away to see who it was.

The brunette started to climb the pile of corpses, trying to reach the top. The more she climbed, the more dirty she became, stained with the blood of the many victims. But she didn't care. She just wanted to reach the top and see her again.

Her hands were soiled with blood as she finally reached the top. Blood kept dripping from her dirty fingers, but again, it didn't matter.

She was there, standing. Wearing her typical smiling drama mask was Jackie. If Shiena thought she was stained with blood, it was nothing compared to Jackie. The latter was completely covered in blood. She had her characteristic scissors in her hand, dripping with fresh blood. Shiena smiled.

"I finally found you. I missed you so much, Otoya."

Jackie remained quiet as Shiena got closer to her.

"I'm sorry… for betraying you. I know you loved me, and I love you too."

Again, Jackie remained silent. Shiena was now standing right in front of her.

"Otoya?"

Still no answer. Shiena stretched her hand and grabbed her mask to remove it. Then, she froze.

It wasn't Otoya.

"How…?"

Jackie smiled and her eyes turned crimson.

"Because it is all your fault, Shiena. It's all OUR fault!"

Jackie had the exact same face as her. But Shiena never thought she could see herself with such a demonic expression. Before she could say anything, Jackie pushed her down the mountain. Shiena fell into the void, knowing that once she reached the bottom, she'll be nothing more than another corpse in this pile of dead bodies...

Shiena woke up with a jolt. Her heart was beating so strongly that she felt it might escape her chest. She was all sweaty and out of breath too.

She grabbed her head and started to sob. It was all her fault. All those people died because of her, and she should have joined them. It was unfair that unlike them, Otoya failed to kill her.

She instinctively brushed the scar on her belly. She almost wanted to scratch it so much that it would reopen. But she knew she wouldn't have the guts to kill herself.

She noticed the time on the clock. It was still early in the morning but Shiena felt like it was pointless to go back to sleep.

The brunette got out of bed and was ready to just go make herself coffee. But on her way to the door, she stumbled on something and nearly fell.

Her bedroom was in such a mess. There was stuff scattered everywhere on the floor. Shiena looked down and saw that it was a bag. The bag she used to bring stuff to Otoya's house.

She remained still for a moment before, following a sudden impulse, she grabbed the bag and put it on her bed. She then proceeded to open it.

It was mostly just clothes but she saw something shining in there. She grabbed it, already knowing what it was.

The necklace Otoya gave her at Christmas. No matter how many times she tried to get rid of it, Shiena never could. She took the necklace in both hands, gently stroking the silver heart with her thumb. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

She then noticed something else in her bag. She put away the necklace and grabbed it. It was her gun.

Shiena wiped away her tears. She knew what she had to do. She will find Otoya before Hitsugi and anyone else.

And this time, she will do the right thing.


If you'd like to join my AnR server, feel free to add me on discord: RickyRiddle#5402