Ch. 3

"What?" asked Red.

"What happen to Swift?" I demanded. It was early in the afternoon when I went to the headquarters to talk with Red. I was curious about what had happened to Swift so I decided to have a little chat with Red. Surely he knew what happened to my cousin.

"Why are you asking me this?" he asked glancing at me.

"You are his friend. So you should know what happen to him," I said.

Red just sat motionless on his chair looking at me with an expressionless face. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

"You're...you're the boss so you should know. Swift was a member of Lost Soul so..." I said.

"True. Swift was a friend of my and a valuable member, but I don't know what happen to him, " he replied

"You're lying!" I shouted.

"Believe it or not. I'm not lying. Like you said, one day he suddenly disappeared and was never heard from. He might be dead or something happened to him. I don't know. After his disappearance I sent out a search party to look for him but we couldn't find him. "

I stared at Red. It became silent between us for a while. "If you don't have anymore questions, leave. I have work to do."

I nodded and began to leave. As I reached the door, I suddenly remember something. I quickly turned around to face Red again and asked, "How did my family died?"

Red just looked at me. "I told you already. They die of a car accident. Why are you asking me this?"

I just stared at him without saying a word. Should I tell him about my dream or shouldn't I? "Nothing," I replied. After a second I changed my mind and asked, " Was I there when they died?"

"I can't really say," he said in a flat tone. I studied the expressions on his face. It looks like he was thinking about something. Maybe thinking about what I'm saying.

"Hoshi, leave," he suddenly said. I didn't budged. "Now!"

I sighed. Why is he always like this? I just want to know what happened to these blood relations of mine. I have the right to know. Don't I?

Before I stepped out of his office I quickly said," Did I kill my family?"

When I said that, Red's head jerked up and turned to face me with a rigid face. In seconds his face soften and he managed a small smile. "Don't asked stupid questions."

"I mean it Red. Did I kill them?"

"Why do you say that?" He stood up and stared at me.

"I had a dream of me killing my family. I became curious and thought you might know since you were the one who found me after that accident."

"I told you. Your family died of a car accident."

"You're hiding something from me like you're hiding something from Pia!" I shouted at him.

"Hoshi!"

"Fine! I'll find out myself without your help!" I shouted and stormed out of his office leaving him speechless behind. As I walked down the hallway I passed by Sugar without saying a word. During my way down, I forgot that I left my bag in his office. I sighed angrily and stormed back to his office to get my bag. When I got there the door was almost closed and I could hear Red and Sugar talking. I leaned by the door and listened to their conversation.

"Really? How strange. I thought you erased her memory of that," I heard Sugar said. Whose memory? Mines or someone else? I'm confused.

" I did but it seem it's coming back to her," said Red.

"Yes, it would be devastating if she remembers that." I heard Sugar sighed." They're just sixteen. I don't think they're ready to take full responsibility for their past even if they're skill assassins and have killed many," said Sugar.

What were they talking about? Pia and I are not ready to take full responsibility for our past? I don't understand.

"I agree but--"

Sugar interrupted Red, "There's nothing wrong in you doing that. You're just trying to protect them."

Red trying to protect us?

"They're like your little sisters right? So as an older brother you feel you have a duty to protect them no matter what," said Sugar.

"Yea. It seem whenever I looked at them they remind me of Ame," said Red softly.

"Ame? You sister?" asked Sugar.

Sister? I didn't know Red had a sister.

"Yes. She would have been sixteen like them if she was still alive," said Red softly. "I couldn't protect her...I..." I can hear his voice cracking as if it pains him to talk about her. I took a deep breath and open the door. To my surprise I saw Sugar hugging him and he had his arm around her before they separated from each other. Red glared at me and Sugar was looking elsewhere.

"Ok..." I whispered to myself. I slowly walked over to where I sat earlier and grabbed my bag and tiptoe back to the door.

"Hey!" shouted Red.

I stopped abruptly and turned around to face him. "I forgot my bag," I said innocently holding up my bag then quickly ran out.

"Really?" asked Pia shocked.

"Yea, I saw them hugging in his office," I said. "Hey, do you think they like each other?"

Pia and I were strolling down a sidewalk empty of people at a public park. On each side of us were trees; their leaves swaying with the breeze.

" No. Knowing those two, I don't think they like each other like that," said Pia.

" How do you know? They're probably keeping their relationship a secret," I said.

Pia sighed and said," You and your romance."

"What's wrong with that?" I demanded.

Pia remained silent and just kept walking. "Hey," I said.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Did you know Red had a younger sister?" I asked.

"Yea," she replied.

"You did? How come I didn't? He told you huh?" I said.

"No. I found out myself," she replied.

"How?" I asked.

"I just did," she replied.

" What happened to her? I heard she died," I said.

"Yes, that's what I heard too. I'm not sure how but I think she was murder."

"How sad," I said in a soft tone.

We walked in silent for a while until we came into an opening. Before us were a huge fountain and benches. Just a little behind the fountain was shops including an ice cream store.

"Hey, Pia. Um...is Red capable of erasing someone memory? I asked softly.

"Yea," she replied. I see. Could Red and Sugar have been talking about me when Sugar said that she thought Red erased a girl's memory? If so then---

" Red erased one of my memory," interrupted Pia.

I looked at her surprise. "You? Why?"

"I hated that memory so I asked him to do it but now it's coming back pieces by pieces," she said. Ah...could it have been Pia they were talking about and not I? Yes, that must have been it.

"If I may ask..."

"I don't feel like talking about it," she said and walked away from me. "You want to go get some ice cream?"

"Sure," I said softly and follow her out of the park and toward the ice cream shop.

We were sitting on one of the benches around the fountain eating our ice cream when suddenly people started shouting and running as if someone was after their life. "What's going on?" I wondered looking around at the madness going on.

"I don't know," replied Pia who went on eating her ice cream cone. I shrugged and did the same thing. As I was about to lick my ice cream again, I felt something passed by me and I was startled by it so I dropped my ice cream cone. I stood up angrily but as soon as I did Pia pulled me back down.

"That was close," she said. If you would have moved one more muscle that bullet would have hit you."

"What? Bullet?" I asked. So that what it was. A bullet passed by me.

"Yes, a bullet. It seem those guys are going on about shooting at things and causing this racket," said Pia nodding toward a group of seven guys hollering, shooting up into the air and things around them. Each of the guys was wearing a black mask that concealed their identity. "This is really getting me piss," whispered Pia.

"Pia--" I started to say but she interrupted me.

"I know. Let's go have a little fun," she grinned at me.

I smiled back. "You don't even have your weapons."

"That doesn't matter. Do you have your shurikens with you?" she said.

"Of course. I never go anywhere without them," I replied. I reached into my blue pouch I wore around my waist and took out four shurikens with four red sharp tips and give them to Pia who gratefully took them. "Red one huh?" she said. I grinned at her and took out four shurikens with red sharp tips for myself.

"Let's go over there, behind those trees. They're pretty close to those idiots," said Pia.

"Right," I said. We dashed toward the trees and hid behind it so they wouldn't shoot us. "On the count of three,'' I said.

"One," counted Pia.

"Two," I counted.

"Three," we both said. We quickly jumped out of our hiding spots and threw our shurikens at them. I watched them fly over and hit the guys. Perfect hit. Pia and I hardly missed our targets. I saw them looking around surprised and pissed trying to take the shurikens out of their body but that won't help. My red tip shurikens are poison shurikens and once it pierced someone the poison leaked out from the tips and spread into the body. Of course there is a cure for it but Red, Pia, Sugar, and I are the only ones who knows about it. I only used the red tips shurikens when I don't have any weapons with me that can't kill. Other than that I'll use my normal shurikens. One thing about normal shurikens, they can't really kill someone unless a lot is use on that person and hits crucial parts.

"This is boring," declared Pia who leaned against one of the tree and sighed.

"I guess," I replied still watching the guys frantically looking for us.

"Are they dead yet?" asked Pia.

"No, the poison should be taking affect by now," I said. "Oh look. They're falling to the ground moaning."

Pia looked and grinned. "Well that's what they get for disturbing this nice and quiet afternoon.

"Yea, and for making me drop my ice cream cone," I said. We both stared at each other and giggled. From the sound of sirens Pia and I ran away from the place and back into the park we came out from.

Today I was so confuse and have an ocean of questions but today even helped me refocus on my duty. One day for sure, I will find the answers to these endless questions of mine whether it will help me become a better person or destroy me.