Chapter 07: Mark
"I can't believe the asshole survived," Kuon said through clenched teeth. The image of Fuwa Sho still breathing filled his entire body with white rage. "Sonofabitch."
"This may be of benefit to us," Sawara replied, attempting to sooth the young man's fury. When Kuon gave him a look that spoke of how futile he believed that notion to be, the older man sighed. "Let's forget about that for a moment. How is Kyoko-san?"
Kuon remained silent, unwilling to meet the elder's gaze.
"What happened?" Sawara asked as he lit a cigarette. Inhaling an exhilarating puff, he then handed the fag over to Kuon, who sat beside him, staring at that city's stunning nightscape.
Raking his long, black hair out of his face, Kuon sighed heavily. Taking the offering, he inhaled the nicotine deeply, feeling it fill his lungs with much needed reprieve. As he exhaled, he looked down at the ground many stories before them and shook his head. "Who the fuck knows," he finally replied in English.
Admiring the young man's profile, Sawara pondered the situation carefully as the two sat upon the roof of one of the tallest buildings in the city, their legs draped off the edge. For as along as he has known the Hizuri family, the many years he has spent in service to them, he had never anticipated that the heir, their most brilliant and brutal artist of the trade, would ever succumb to his emotions. Yet, here they sat amongst Kuon's conflicted humanity.
"Something about her held me at bay," Kuon continued unprompted in Japanese. "Maybe it's her innocence in all of this, the fact that she was duped by the Fuwa family like so many others."
"Or it could simply be the fact that you are a man and she is a beautiful woman," Sawara added.
Glancing to the older man, Kuon furrowed his brows with denial. "She is beautiful, but she is also a child." He quipped.
Sawara chuckled. "She is not that much younger than you, Kuon. A mere four years difference."
Kuon shook his head and smoked. Closing his eyes, he rested his head back and contemplated the events of the day…
Holding the knife beneath the last button of her shirt, he looked deeply into her eyes. The ochre shined bright in the candlelight, defiant yet afraid. He could sense the love that she held for Fuwa's heir was genuine, warm, and as innocent as her demeanour. The way she matched his stare, unfaltering in her bravery and belief, steadied his hand and his voice. What was he supposed to do? Ask her more questions and threaten her sanity? A young girl who was more than likely just another victim of that fucked up family's atrocities?
"Well…" she said, quietly. Her voice was weak with fright, no matter how strong she tried to sound. "D-do you have any more questions?"
Kuon had never shown the truth of his feelings to anyone, especially not a mark. Refusing to break that tradition now, even when he felt justified in doing so, he grinned. Adjusting his hand so that the tip of the blade pressed against Kyoko's abdomen, beneath the fabric, he whispered, "Just one." Lowering himself, he brushed her lips with his. He admired the flickering shadows reflected in her tear-glazed eyes and saw the ferocity of her love looking back up at him. "Why sacrifice yourself for someone like him?" Kuon said every so quietly.
Kyoko could feel her heart beating faster and faster, the blood rushing through her veins, and a warmth unlike anything she had ever felt before. Was it the depth of her fear? Was she afraid of having her body violated? Of dying? Or of realising she was a fool for so long? Her lips quivered as she fought for an answer.
When she didn't respond, he asked her again, "Why?"
"Have you ever been in love, Sawara-san?" Kuon inquired from his comrade. Stubbing out the cigarette's bud in the cement, he faced his father's most trusted confidante. "Have you ever loved someone so much that you would sacrifice everything that you hold dear for them, including your integrity?"
"Well, before I answer you, Kuon, allow me to pose a question to you. Aren't you and your father doing as such by igniting this war?" Sawara replied.
Kuon smiled. "In a way, I suppose. But isn't that what father is doing? He lit a match to the world and is willing to watch it burn to the ground in a heaping pile of ashes for the agony left behind in the wake of her death, isn't he? A world he once loved and respected more than anything else. But for her… he'd strangle it with his own hands."
Sawara nodded. "I have never met any two people who loved one another the way that Hizuri-san and Lady Juliena did." As he recalled the Hizuri superiors, his eyes became heavy with emotion and his heart ached for his master's grief.
"You still haven't answered my question," Kuon asked as he held his hand out to the man next to him.
Placing the golden lighter into his gloved palm, Sawara smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, my son, I have never felt love for anyone, not in the way of which you speak. My life has always been dedicated to your family. I could never allow myself to create such a weakness, you understand?"
Kuon nodded once. Suddenly, he felt completely alone and realised just how lonely people like him were in a world full of seven or eight billion people. If anyone were to pick out his weakness, the only person they'd find is his father. Hizuri Kuu, one of the most intimidating and brilliant killers in the world. A man very much capable of defending his own. But his father was a different case entirely. He had Julie, and she was exploited to cripple him. Lighting a second cigarette, Kuon brought the white stick to his mouth and breathed in a long puff. When he exhaled, he watched the smoke dissipate into the wind and swirl away into nothingness, matching the void that he shall always be fated to carry himself. How ironic, he thought gloomily.
"Do you love her?" Sawara asked Kuon, his voice taking on a wholly serious tone.
Startled by the bold inquiry, the young man faced his companion with astonishment.
"It is but a simple question," Sawara continued upon seeing the expression on Kuon's face, one that he found mildly amusing yet disconcerting simultaneously.
The duo spent a few moments in silence as Kuon looked within himself for an answer. The obvious answer was no, but was it the truth?
"Is it not obvious?" Kyoko replied. Although she smiled, there was no joy in it. "You have already mocked me for it multiple times." A gentle tear spilled from the pool embracing her eyes, slowly it slid down her rosy cheek, leaving a wet trail of despair behind. "I love him. There is nothing that I would not do for him."
Kuon scoffed. "And you believe that he would do the same for you?"
"Of course," she answered without any hint of hesitation. "He was more than willing to give up his life for me… I should have gone with him when I had the chance. Then he'd still be—"
"No, he wouldn't," Kuon cut her off abruptly, his voice hardening. "No matter where you two went, I would have found him and killed him."
"And me," Kyoko retorted rebelliously. "What would you have done to me then?"
Startled, Kuon's ice-blue eyes widened with surprise.
"No, I don't love her," he answered Sawara.
Sawara reached over and took the cigarette from him, staying silent, sensing that there was more to be said.
"I would be lying if I said she didn't intrigue me. I have never met a woman who has challenged me in a way that she does. A woman who can slide beneath my skin and prevent me from being anything other than Hizuri Kuon."
Sawara nodded, comprehending an element of Kuon's emotions that the young man had yet to recognise.
"Every time I have ever had a job to do, I have become whatever monster or villain was necessary for me to do the job as efficiently and effectively as possible. But no matter the disguise, it melts before that… golden stare. Such judgement, such hatred. I have been hated before. I relish it more often than not, it helps me be more of a bastard when need be, yet…" The more he thought about her, the more words evaporated before reaching his tongue. Nothing could truly express what he was feeling inside, not in a way that meant anything sincere.
"So," Sawara probed, "what will you do with her now?" He handed the cig back to Kuon and continued. "You left her untainted and unmarred. I've told you that Sho lives. What will you do now? Send her back to him?"
Kuon sliced through the threads of the last button. The taut fabric covering her body, loosened and parted. He then stabbed the blade into the bed beside her face, strands of hair that were cut fell away. Kyoko could feel the presence of steel against her skin as she gasped.
Kuon tenderly parted her lips with the tip of his tongue. "I would make you realise," he softly said into her mouth, "there's someone far worthier of the love you have to offer." Then, he kissed her longingly.
"According to her, Fuwa loves her just as much as she loves him. She is under the impression that there's nothing he won't do for her." Kuon inhaled from the cigarette once more before flicking it into air, where the wind carried it off. "If that is true—"
"From everything that occurred prior to your arrival, I am currently inclined to agree with her," Sawara interrupted momentarily.
Kuon nodded with a smirk. "So, if that is true, then I will use her to get to him. She is his weakness. Just as Julie, just as my mother was to my father."
"Then, she will eventually have to die for that weakness to be exploited," Sawara added with apprehension.
"Eventually, yes." Kuon replied without a hint of reluctance. Sawara felt a cold shiver trail his spine. "In the meantime, since he is actually still alive, take this back to that bastard. This will tell us everything we'll need to know." Kuon pulled a Polaroid from his pocket and handed it to the older man.
Upon seeing the photograph, Sawara's brown eyes widened with astonishment. "I thought you said you didn't hurt her?"
Indifferently, Kuon answered, "I never actually said those words."
Kyoko wrapped her arms around her body, massaging the warmth of the shower into her skin, hoping it would sink down into her bones. Yet, no matter how hot the water was, or how much she rubbed, she could not shake the chill that had permeated her body and spirit. Never in her life could she have imagined finding herself in such a predicament. Not only was the man she loved dead, but she had also found herself at the mercy of a violent killer, one who had violated her in ways she did not think was possible.
Letting the water wash over her for a few more moments, Kyoko then stepped to the side, pressing her back against the cool tiled wall, she allowed herself to fall to the floor. Wiping the excess moisture from her eyes, she looked out at the frosted doors and thought back to what happened. His eyes… His once beautifully spring green eyes had changed to the coldest, most heartless shade of blue she had ever seen. Which ones were real? Which ones were fake? Nevertheless, behind that ill-intentioned stare, she sensed that there was much more to the assassin than he let on.
Why did he let me go? She asked herself. Knowing how much we love one another, would it not cause more harm to Sho if he… "I suppose it would only make sense if Sho were still alive," she whispered aloud to herself. "Sho," she said, surprised at how natural and comforting it felt to say his name after all this time.
Resting her head back against the wall, Kyoko cupped her palms and watched the water fill within her grasp, while trickling free beneath the small cracks in between her fingers. Life was very much the same. No matter how much you feel that you have control over it, over the choices that you make and desires that drive you, inevitably it shall always escape, leaving you reaching for something that is no longer there. What we want in life and we receive are never one in the same, regardless of the efforts we put into trying to make it so. Kyoko had always believed that being obedient and respectful of whatever Fuwa-san wanted from her would always protect her. She also felt it would be the best thing for Sho. Yet, those intentions had slipped through the cracks and led her to a fate she never anticipated.
Bringing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and buried her face into their comfort. The hot water continued to spray upon her head, spilling across her body, steam wafting in the confined space, its warmth continuing to elude her. As Kyoko sat there, her mind became active, thoughts drifting further out of her control, like the water, like her fate.
He kissed her longingly, literally taking her breath away. Kyoko tried to fight it, yet the tenderness and desire of the way he kissed her, lured her in and she found herself unable to resist. She kissed him back. His fingers sunk into her hair as he slid them around her nape, drawing her against him. As his tongue slipped into her mouth, she felt awkward and unsure of what to do. Inexperience lay wake to uncertainty, yet her body reacted naturally, responding to every move he made.
Then, just as quickly, Kuon broke the kiss and parted from her. Grabbing the hilt of the knife, he pulled it out of the bed and sliced away her tethers, freeing her arms. He climbed off the bed and Kyoko shoved herself into a sitting position, wincing at the tingling ache that filled her arms as sensation returned to them. Looking down at her wrists, she saw chafed skin. The bruises from being tied so securely would surely appear before night's end. Slowly, she lifted her head and eyed him. Noticing the scars upon his back, she gasped.
Kuon fetched his shirt from the floors, put it on, and turned towards the young woman once more. He slipped the blade back into its sheath in his back pocket and gestured for her to approach him.
"Please…" Kyoko pleaded, unsure of his new intentions. He walked over, grabbed her hand, and dragged her off the bed. "Haven't you done eno—"
Kuon grabbed the edges of the useless shirt, ready to strip her of it, but then she pushed his arms aside and shoved him with all her strength. He stumbled back into the nightstand, knocking it over. Kyoko then ran to the doors. After unlatching the bottom lock, she reached for the top, however she was far too short to reach it. Kuon recovered hastily, stalked over to her, and fiercely grabbed her arm and spun her to face him.
"Let me go!" She shouted. "Fuwa-san is dead, Sho is dead! You have no further use of me—"
"Shut up, you petulant brat," Kuon yelled back, immediately silencing her. "There is still one more thing I need to do!"
"Wh-what…is that?" Kyoko asked meekly.
"Mark," Kuon mumbled, almost guiltily.
Seeing her confused expression, he brushed the hair off her left shoulder and grabbed the flat collar of her tattered shirt. Slowly, he fingered the material off her skin.
Kyoko trembled at his touch. She had wholeheartedly believed it was all over…
Bringing his mouth to her ear, Kuon whispered, "I'm going to mark you."
Her eyes widened with terror. Raising her hands to attack him, he grasped her thin wrists and held them against the wall. Kuon used the strength of his body to keep her from moving and lowered his mouth to her neck.
Kyoko rubbed at her neck and shoulder, feeling the soreness of the bruises forming beneath her skin. The anxiety from the entire experience had drained her so much that once he finished, she fainted. As Kyoko awoke, she was utterly flabbergasted to find herself freshly clothed and beneath the bedsheets, alone. There was even a mug of coffee sitting on the nightstand with a small, white card that simply stated, "Forgive me. –K."
Shaking her head from the reverie, Kyoko stood back up, fetched the small bar of sandalwood soap, and began to lather her body, paying special attention to her neck and shoulders. After rinsing it all off, she inhaled the wonderful, comforting scent of the soap, and even caught hints of amber. Moving on, she found a bottle of men's shampoo and proceeded to wash her long hair.
When she finished showering, the young woman stepped out of the shower, large swirls of steam wafted around her. Grabbing the large, grey towel from the rack, she wrapped it snugly about her willowy form, and stepped into the bedroom and stopped abruptly.
Noticing her, Kuon sat down on the recently made bed and regarded her. The bruises on her wrists from the restraints were a dark, purplish contrast to her white skin. The hickies on her neck and shoulder were also dark, but more maroon than purple. He could even see marks from his teeth from where he sat. Inwardly, he felt horrible. Outwardly, he didn't have a single care to give. "You were in there forever," he said nonchalantly. Leaning back, he placed his hands on the bed, making no attempt to leave.
"I'm sorry," Kyoko replied timidly. "I just couldn't get…clean." Grasping the knot of her towel tightly, she could feel her throat going dry with nervousness. "Is-is there something you n-needed?"
Kuon raked his hair back and sighed. "Is there something I need?" He repeated, thoughtfully. "As a matter of fact, there is." Sitting up straight, he patted the empty space beside him. "Please, come sit down."
"No," Kyoko retorted sharply.
"Yes," he quipped.
"No, I won't." She snapped louder.
"Dammit, I have something to tell you!" Kuon was starting to feel impatient. Exhaling with mild frustration, he shoved into a stance and began walking towards the door. "It's about your precious Fuwa Sho, but if you don't care, then that's fine with me."
Sho?! Kyoko thought and stepped forward. Before she could stop herself, she called out to him. "Wait! Please!"
Halting, Kuon glanced over his shoulder and found her a few paces closer than before.
Gulping back a lump of anxiety, Kyoko stood up a bit straighter and addressed the assassin. "Look, you can't blame me for being wary of you. You… well, the things you did—"
"I understand." Kuon cut her off before she could voice his sins. Carefully he moved towards her. Taking her hand in his, he led her to the bed. "Please, sit down."
Nodding, she reluctantly obliged him. When he knelt before her in lieu of taking his place next to her, she was pleasantly surprised.
Kuon met Kyoko's gaze with a silent concentration that made her very uncomfortable. But the words he spoke next completely astounded her beyond belief.
"Fuwa Sho is still alive."
Thank you for reading. If you can please, share a review. I'll update again soon.
