Chapter 3
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"No! Please don't hurt my child! Please!"
It was a mother's scream; a plead for the safety of her baby.
"Why are you doing this?" the father asked pitifully at the doorstep of death. "Why are you doing this?"
"An order," the killer replied coldly. "You are ordered to be killed."
"Who," the father questioned, "at least tell me who ordered you. You owe me at least that much; tell me who is sending me to death."
He was trying to distract the killer, distract the killer long enough for his family, wife and child to escape.
The killer was no fool. A second gun in hand, the killer aimed at the mother and fired with precision; the bullet hit the woman's leg, she crumbles, the child still clutched tightly in her embrace.
"I owe you nothing," the killer said blankly. "I am only order to kill you, your wife, and the child."
The mother weep softly, "Please, have pity."
The killer raised both guns toward the ordered target, "Good-bye,"
The gun shot rung through the halls. Raining red; death came to claim the deceased.
Seth awoken with a sudden jolt drenched in sweat; his heart beat painfully against his ribs, his face pale.
"It's a dream, a nightmare," he gasped. But whether it was a nightmare or a dream, it had brought back unwanted memories, opening old wounds.
Seth bit back a sob, Mom, Dad…I really miss you.
Beyond the doors of Seth's room, Ken sighed wearily. Seth's nightmares had become more frequent. Seth just can't seem to let go of his thirst for revenge.
In some part of his heart, Ken believes he have the answer to Seth's question: who had ordered to kill his parents? Even so, a part of Ken was also denying it.
There is just no way…no way that Mr. Wu and my father plan it. Ken shook his head in rejection. And even if they did, I have no evidence. But also, most importantly: why?
Ken sighed; he had never thought he would be so attached to Seth. When the seven year old boy was first introduced to him, Ken had only wave Seth off as if he was just another one of his father's acquaintance's son to be his playmate. Now…now Seth is his best friend; his brother. It pains him to know that his father might be a reason why Seth had lost everything he know of.
The guilt is eating him away.
Disgruntled, Ken had only hope that he could find out to the very least why did his father did the thing he did. But from the information that the detective had presented them with; it was needless to say, it was hopeless. It seems that Mr. Wu and his father did a good job at covering their tracks.
A wave of anger washed over Ken. How could they do this!
Hand clutching painfully and tightly by his side, Ken turn to leave.
Seth, please stay strong…we will find the truth…
Chapter 4
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It was a busy morning in Shanghai, China. It was a typical morning in Shanghai, China.
No.
It was a special morning in Shanghai, China.
"Do you understand the plan?" an amber-eyed man questioned a young teen beside him.
"Of course," the brown-haired teen scowled. "Don't question my capabilities. I'm well suited for this role."
"I know you're well suited; however, I heard that he have a very protective, if not overly-suspicious friend," the young man warned.
The girl smirked, "But that's where you come in, Char."
Char glared. "Just make sure you don't fail, Rin," he replied, changing the topic.
"Why, I won't," Rin grinned sweetly, "I never fail."
Seth and Ken walked down the busy streets of Shanghai after a long day of work. To say the least, both of them were anxious. For the whole day, they had wondered from library to library, gathering information and researching on their reports given by their own respective teachers.
Seth had reasoned that the faster they finish their summer assignments, the more time they have to find truth behind his parents' death.
"Can you believe my teacher gave us a twelve page report to write? Over summer break no less!" Seth complained vexingly. "I mean, who cares about ancient relics? They're history; I'm not!"
Ken grinned good-naturally, "At least you don't have a twenty page report on marine life. In fact," Ken snapped his finger in realization, "you can use that manuscript that fool gave you. Surely it counts as a report on ancient relics."
Seth shook his head, "Ken, my report have to be on relic, not some Chinese legend!" he exclaimed.
Seth was so preoccupied with Ken that unknowingly, as he turned the corner, that he was about to walk into another person.
An unavoidable collision was in order as Seth crashed into a small figure. Seth fell backward. Yet even despite this, somehow, in the mist of it all, Seth somehow managed to grab hold of the said figure, dragging the person down with him.
Both landed on the hard, cold pavement.
"Oof!" yipped the unfortunate person.
Seth groaned as he sat to get up. The collision had not been kind. The pavement was indeed very hard. Opening his eyes Seth attempted to glare at the being who had caused him his misfortunate.
Blue met chocolate brown. Seth's breath hitched. Before him, a beautiful young girl laid before him, pale skinned, honey brown hair, and rose red lips.
Seth profoundly blushed. Faintly behind him, Seth thought he heard Ken chuckled in amusement.
Eclipse groaned. True the plan was meant for her to catch the attention of one Seth Wu without getting tear to pieces by the boy's self-claim bodyguard, Ken Fei. However, to manage the task by a loud "bam" and a "thump" was not what she had in mind. In fact, what she had originally planed was more along the lines of fidgeting an innocent girl who lost her pet dog than anything else.
Life can be so cruel.
"Um…" Rin looked up uncertainly; her bright brown eyes blinked innocently at the stranger in front of her with mild confusion. "Sir? Can you please let go of me?"
Chapter 5
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Rin glared inwardly in annoyance.
"Sir?" she asked for the fifth time, "Can you please let go!" Rin bit back a growl that was threatened to erupt from her throat. When Seth did not respond of yet again, Rin then had concluded that the boy has no brain of whatsoever.
Ken, who stood by the sideline, was in great amusement. It had appeared that his friend was quiet taken with the beauty. It was oblivious from the way Seth had been drooling about.
Sensing the girl's unease, Ken decided to lend a helping hand. However, somewhere in the back of his mind, his conscience whispered: You are jealous of the girl who had taken up Seth's interest. You are afraid that he no longer needs you anymore.
Shaking his head with distaste, Ken held his hand toward the girl.
Rin stared at the red-haired man with gratitude. She did no know how much longer she could handle Seth's stupidity. Clearly Seth can see that she wanted to be released!
"Xie xie (Thank you)," Rin smiled softly at Ken.
Ken nodded in acknowledgement. "You're most welcome. Forgive my friend here; he is just captured by your beauty."
Rin blushed.
Helping the Rin up, Ken threw a smug smirk at Seth, who had now snapped out of his daze.
Seth replied Ken with mock a glare before gaining back his composure and nodded toward Rin in a casual matter. "I'm Wu Seth. And you are, my lady?" he smiled charmingly.
Rin smiled shyly while inside she grimaced at being called lady, "Ni hao (Hello), I'm Shun Rin."
Eclipse was a very capable young girl who has a notorious ability to befriend everyone and anyone. People are drawn to her, but she was never drawn to people. In some sense there was much irony to her skills. Eclipse hated people; yet people loved Eclipse.
Sighing, Eclipse resumed her attention toward the chattering boy who was walking be her side.
Ryuu, Eclipse prayed almost desperately, help me!
Meanwhile, from the dark corner of the streets, a black haired man watched the walking trio with mirth. He had certainly had thought that his partner would find a more appropriate way of approaching their targets.
Whipping the smirk off his face, the young man decided it was time for him to make his day-tribute.
"Xiao (Little) Rin!" Char ran down the streets toward the honey-browned girl. "Where were you? I have looked everywhere!" He yelled with fake anxiety.
"Cousin!" Rin squealed joyously. "There you are!"
Rin ran into Char with an "oofm" and promptly hugged him. Char laugh at Rin's behavior; a hidden desperation and gratitude to be saved.
Turning toward the two person accompanying Rin, Char grinned wolfishly, "Nan Char. Thank you for looking after my cousin. I was afraid that I had lost her. She must had caused you inconvenience."
Seth and Ken accepted his gratitude in slight embarrassment."It's no trouble at all," Seth denied.
Char smirked, "Is that so? Well, nevertheless, let me treat you to lunch as a thank you."
"No need." Ken declined politely, "anyone would do the same."
"Nonsense!" Rin injected. "Come, have lunch with us." Looking at Seth, Rin cast him a puppy-eye look, "Won't you?"