Age: 10, Year: 2003

"Son. Hey, son. I have a question for you."

"Hmm? Yesh, pahpah?"

A little boy with messy black hair, tan skin, and gray eyes lifted his face up to meet his father's gaze. This evening, he and his two parents are having dinner, a customary gesture for this small family living in Saga Prefecture. The food his mother make happened to be one of his favorite meals ever. A sour vegetable soup native to his father's home country in Southeast Asia, the Philippines. Whenever the dish was decided to be their dinner or lunch during weekends, little Shino didn't hesitate to gorge himself and ask for seconds or thirds to savor more of the sour taste exploding in his mouth until he's full.

His mother sitting by his father's side noticed his puffed cheeks full of chewed up food waiting to be swallowed, prompting her to tell him. "Swallow first before you speak, Shino. You do know it's impolite to speak with your mouth full."

Her words coming out sterner than she expected made Shino's eyes go wide. He swallowed the food audibly and gulped it down, letting out a sigh. "Sorry mama. I nearly forgot I was eating too much rice," he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Oh, don't worry Shino," she shook her head with a smile. "You're not in trouble. I am only reminding you of the manners I taught you."

Shino smiled in return to her mother when he heard it's only a little scolding. With that out of the way, Shino turns back to his father and asks, "Soooo papa. What was the question you want to ask me? Is it… one of your funny jokes?"

At that, his father beamed in delight and anticipation, leaning backwards against the chair before speaking. "Hahaha of course! What else would it be? You're getting good knowing what I will ask you, my son."

"Only because you almost always crack a joke to him." Shino's mother rolled her eyes.

"Heeeey, it's a tradition for us fathers to tell their child a joke. No matter how terrible they are," he stated, putting his hand on her shoulder. "And besides, I want you to hear another joke courtesy of me! You may deny it all you want, but I know for sure you do like hearing my jokes-"

"Alright, alright, I get it. No need to say it over and over again," she interrupted him, covering her smile with one hand. It feels embarrassing for her every time he brings it up like it's a fact. She stifles a chuckle before she says, "Just… get on with your joke."

"Yeah! Come on papa! Tell us, tell us!" Shino exclaimed, almost jumping up and down on his seat while waiting in anticipation.

Clearing his throat first, the brown-skinned dad wearing a dress shirt and pants proceeded with his trademark quipping. "Alright, so here's the question for you. What did the ocean say to the shore?"

"The ocean?" The ever-curious boy tilted his head in thought. "Ah! Oh, oh! I want to answer! I want to answer! Pleeeeeeease?"

Seeing how eager he is, the man complied. "Ah, now you're making me curious, my boy. So tell us. What is your answer?"

Smiling giddily, he speaks out what he thought to be a correct and clever answer. "'Hello there! It's nice to… sea you!'" He tried containing his giggling, only to come out when he finished answering.

It didn't take long before his parents get the joke and either chuckled or laughed at his response. "Oh you did not," his beautiful Japanese mother in a billowy dress shakes her head, not daring to hide her laughter thanks to her son's silly answer.

"S-So? Did you two… find it funny?" Shino nervously asked, twiddling his thumbs.

"Funny? No," his father shakes his head, making him feel deflated… "It's HILARIOUS! Hahahaha! What a good joke you made, my son! Even though it is not the correct punchline, I can't help but… Pfffthahahahaha! Laugh at your answer!"

His laughter is contagious for him so Shino started laughing too when comprehending how childish his attempt of a pun sounds. "Y-You're right! It is funny! I never thought I can make a funny joke!"

"Hey, keep that up and you will spewing out tons of jokes no time when you become a dad like me!" He pointed to himself with his thumb, a wink and smile. "You may have a talent on being funny, little mister."

"Don't give him ideas, dear," his wife scolded him lightly, fearing he could've pass down the art of dad jokes to Shino's future son. "You might make Shino turn it into a habit."

"It's inevitable, my love. It's called a 'dad' joke for a reason."

"So papa, you said my punchline is not correct," Shino's curious statement brought the two's attention back to him. "What is the actual punchline?"

At that, his father didn't hesitate to say it. "Actually, no. The ocean didn't say anything. It just waved."

"Waved?" Shino tilted his head again… until he and his mother understand the pun. "Ooooooh! Wave! As in… an ocean wave, and a friendly hand wave!"

"Aaaaaahhh you immediately get it!" He clapped with another bout of laughter. "Hahahaha, you're learning how to make a joke so quickly than I thought, my son! Perhaps the dad jokes tradition will pass down to you, after all!"

"You… really think so, papa?" Shino averted his eyes bashfully, putting another morsel to his mouth using a spoon And may overheard his mother saying about how the heck she was married to a jokester like her husband.

His father relaxes his boisterous persona to give him a loving and trusting look. "As long you don't overdo it and continue being a good boy we want you to be. You will do great in life, my son. We are here for you even if we might not be present."

Being a kid, little Shino is impressed and taken aback of his father's little wisdom, having not expected he would say it in a different tone compared to his jokester act. "Papa…"

"The world out there can be uncaring Shino," his mother speaks up sincerely, pulling his attention to her giving him a similarly worried but caring look. "At your age, you're not yet prepared to face the struggles in life. There will come a time when you may not rely on us anymore and have to live by yourself. You will have to decide how you wish to live and support yourself, which is why we hope for the best to you after all the nurturing we've done to you."

"…Mama, papa? You two are… gonna leave me… someday?" Shino doesn't like the idea of her cherished parents leaving him alone. He's a sensitive kid, so his eyes appear to be on verge of crying.

His mother fears she may have said too much in her usual attempt to be strict, a method of which she wouldn't like if it could compromise their offspring if done too far. She quickly puts out this response. "N-Not today! That day will not happen for a very long time, dear. For now, we are here with you, so please don't cry."

Understanding his mother is right, Shino's frown turned upright from her comforting words that his best parents in the world will always be here with him, no matter what path he shall take further down in his life. "Okay mama. I'm sorry for making you worry," he apologized.

"It's alright. I should be the one apologizing," she corrected, holding his little hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Her husband smiled at the heartwarming sight, being glad he get to marry a woman who does have a heart beneath her cold exterior and raise their only child so he leads a comfortable life.

Little Shino always remembered that conversation even when a couple of months passed. It made a profound impact to his delicate heart because of the fact that someday, when he's all grown up, he will leave his parents behind to pursue his own calling in life. That is an inevitable rule when it comes to a parent and their child. His parents did went along the same path he did as a kid, and before then, their respective parents also underwent the same path too. Generation after generation. That is how a bloodline is formed, one that may have started as far back as a century. Their lives and paths may be different, but it's no secret, even if it's unspoken, that a single kid could become a parent raising their very own child, which they, too, will grow up to be potentially a parent.

Like her mother said, that day will not happen for a very long time. So until that day comes, Shino shall cherish his parents' company, wanting most of his best memories would be about them. In turn, he strives to be a good boy who was raised right. They wanted him to become comfortable in any path he shall chose, whether that be being an artist or musician. He's undecided for now, but until then, he wished to nurture his hobbies as much as he likes.

The fact that the day he would leave his parents behind will only happen a very long time is so ingrained in his mind that he didn't consider what may happen when that day arrives.

Sooner than he thought.

"NOOOOO! STOP! STOP TAKING THEM AWAY!"

Shino begged the men and women holding him back, struggling to free himself within their tight grip. He's outside his house and a lot of adults, some of them dressed entirely in black or white, are carrying his parents to two big, rectangular boxes designed to fit a human inside.

He vaguely knows what those boxes are. He's aware of what death is and how it can happen to anyone regardless of their ages. If someone puts a body in those boxes, it's to indicate they're already gone from this world. However, he refuses to acknowledge what that means when seeing his parents' still bodies being put in the two boxes.

He doesn't want to part with them so soon. They have a long time before he will leave a bird's nest. He hoped it would continue that way until they deemed him ready to take on the world.

"T-They're… They were just sleeping! A d-deep sleep! They will wake up soon! They surely will!"

The adults responded to his denial that his parents' are… They… will never come back. That he was effectively orphaned.

"S-Stop… Please stop… taking them away…" Shino choked in his crying, watching the trunk of the car closing, securing the caskets holding his parents. "They… They're not… They are just… s-s-sleeping… Just…! J-J-Just…"

He only wanted to break up their argument concerning his uncontrollable "psychic power" he was afflicted with after he recovered from his very high fever two months ago. He struggled to keep his imagination or worried thoughts to himself, which are triggers behind his strange condition, but he would always affect his immediate surroundings and anyone caught within his sights. Even if he didn't mean it, it was inevitable he will cause trouble. His mother and father weren't immune to it in spite of their claim they knew what is happening to him.

They didn't expect this would be the last. And because Shino was unable to control it, they fell "asleep". With blood bathing their bodies without warning.

The vehicle drove away, leaving Shino alone with few adults, all of which were friends with his parents. He then gave up struggling to free himself, and yet he refuses to believe what really happened to his parents. That they died a violent death that left their limbs twisted in a wrong way and injured heavily, spilling out blood over their dead bodies and to Shino.

Deny it all he wants, Shino came to understand that he left his parents too soon. No amount of begging from him, and not even his weird ability that happened at the same time they were killed, will ever bring them here again.

In that moment, Shino Wakefield is alone.

Age: 13, Year: 2006

ミーン ミーン ミーン ミィィィン

It's a hot summer day here in one neighborhood of Karatsu, Saga. The sky is mostly devoid of clouds, so the sun is free to coat the neighborhood with as much sunlight and heat as it can. Cicadas are active in this season as expected also, their rattling sounds used to attract a mate never stopping all week long.

Shino is drenched in sweat, some of it dripping down his head, hands and legs, as he walks down the asphalt street dressed in normal summer clothes consisting of a T-shirt, shorts and sandals. Today is Saturday and he was taking his pet dog, a Shiba Inu named Tadaaki, for a walk to relax his mind after he made it past the grueling mid-term exams. He hoped he achieved a higher than average test scores after he studied every single day for three weeks, abstaining from playing games or doing his hobbies until the exams are over.

Pulling a collar open to allow little air to flow in and cool his body a little, Shino stops briefly to take a drink from a bottle he bought from a vending machine. Gulping down the water to cleanse his mouth and throat, he lets out a satisfied "Aaaaaah…" after pulling the bottle away. Then he crouches down to his pet dog sniffing the asphalt and gets his attention by shaking the bottle of water. "Hey boy. Here's some water."

Tadaaki continued sniffing the ground for another second before he turns his head to the bottle mouth. Understanding what his owner want, he barked to let Shino know he's ready to drink, so he carefully tilted the bottle down so the water is flowing onto Tadaaki's mouth. The Shiba Inu happily licks the water, feeling refreshed the more he drinks the beverage. Eventually, he stopped licking the water, telling Shino he has enough so he tilts the bottle up and closes it.

"There we go. Feeling refreshed, boy?" Shino asked with a smile, petting and rubbing his head affectionately.

"Arf arf! Arf arf!" Tadaaki barked happily, sticking his tongue out with his tail shaking. Shino chuckled in relief, always happy to tend to his pet dog as much as he can.

"That's good. Now then, let's continue. Our walk is not yet over."

As the boy and his dog continue their neighborhood strolling, Shino's mind wander to the number of events that happened to him for the past three years. After the death and burial of his parents, Shino is taken in by a relative of his mother, who are sympathetic with him for losing his parents at such a young age. Before he knew it, he's been living in their house, fortunately not as far from his old home, which was currently owned by someone else after he fetched all his and parents' belongings and transferred them to his relatives' home.

Ever since that day, Shino is unable to enjoy himself doing the same hobbies that his parents sometimes get involved, whether they like him drawing landscapes, people or fictional characters or disapprove playing video games or watching anime, if only a little. Until they found out one time he slacked off in his studies and prioritized playing an addicting game, achieving a low grade as a result. He was punished by forbidding him from playing games for two weeks, thus making him vow not to play games first before studying again out of fear of his parents' wrath and to improve himself. It doesn't feel the same without them saying their complements or criticisms so he learns his shortcomings and mistakes and dealt with them sooner than later. They were supportive of him, and he missed showing his artwork to them and hearing their comments accompanied by his father's lackadaisical tone or mother's calculating voice. The guilt he felt over having outlived his parents is palpable, and it seemed he can't move on thinking what could have been have they not gotten killed.

But then, in his eleventh birthday, taking place days after their deaths, it turned out his parents bought him a surprise gift in the form of a puppy they dubbed Ren. His parents' relatives and friends had shown the last birthday gift to him, and he was indeed surprised to be given a companion he never thought he really needed out of fear of being alone. Learning this was supposed to be given directly by his parents made him shed few tears out of joy and sorrow that they didn't left his world without a Shiba Inu he came to cherish so much after a month of owning him.

Spurred on by his relatives' support and consolation and Tadaaki's energetic behavior who wants to play with his owner at all times, Shino slowly but surely is able to move past his guilt, regret and sorrow he felt all at once after his parents' death. Before he knew it, he starts enjoying his old hobbies and activities again, this time accompanied by Ren. He may miss his parents' presences and their lively comments but having a troublesome but loyal dog sitting by his side served as a good replacement to fill the void left behind by their deaths. He wished he could've express his deep gratitude to them in person even if it's for a last time.

Speaking of Ren, as stated, he's a loyal dog as expected of his breed, but also quite stubborn. He sometimes run off when Shino lets go of his leash, prompting him to chase him around for many minutes. He made a fool of himself a lot of times and cause trouble for the locals just to grab his leash. Also, he tends to bare his teeth in anger when Shino is reprimanding him or forbidding him from doing something impulsive. Despite the trouble Tadaaki sometimes gave Shino, their bond never wavered, instead growing and strengthening to the point the Shiba Inu wishes to be by his owner's side. Shino didn't mind it, always happy to be accompanied at all times especially when he's feeling lonely.

"Time sure flies by quick. Feels like yesterday that my parents were gone," sighed Shino, marching straight to their home after a long stroll. "Their deaths remain fresh in my mind… I don't want all my memories of them to go away, but it's also not good for me if I keep clinging on to my past regret. Well, it's not like I will forget them soon. It's just, umm…" He sighed again, shaking his head as if warding off the worried thoughts away.

Drinking the remaining water left in the bottle, Shino closes the cap before he keeps holding it, daring not to think of littering. That's what his parents told him when he was very young, making him learn to be caring of environment and keep them clean. He was very bad in obeying it, so he frequently got into trouble. He winced over his rebellious young self, who only wanted to express himself freely without fear of consequences. It did gave him a chuckle though.

After few more minutes of walking, Shino and Tadaaki made it to his home. He would walk up the steps of his home, unlock the door and get inside the house to rest and cool himself off by turning the A/C. It has become a typical habit during summer season. But he stopped when he noticed something different.

"Huh? Is that…?" Shino squinted his eyes to the green-haired boy leaning on his red bike parked beside his relatives' house. When he recognized him, his eyes shot up wide because he realized who he is… "Kurai!?"

Inadvertently shouting it out, the boy named Kurai heard his name being called and turned to Shino. His bored expression changes into an ecstatic one when he saw him. "Ah! Shino! There you are!" He exclaimed to him, walking up to him in a lackadaisical manner.

Even though Kurai seemed like a carefree type of guy who could befriend almost everyone with a right amount and type of words, Shino becomes anxious and fearful of this boy slightly taller than him. He is not fooled of his behavior, not one bit. For Kurai, his classmate in fifth grade, is a bonafide bully who frequently picked on him the most, making him his number one victim.

For what reason Kurai always bullied him when Shino didn't done anything wrong to him? A petty jealousy over Shino being a child of a famous musician father and fashion model mother (and former employees of Speedwagon Foundation), and being half-Japanese, something Shino is all too familiar after being teased by it ever since he was seven. However, Kurai takes it too far by pointing his skin color and stereotyping him because he's also half-Filipino.

In return, Shino has nothing good thing to say to him, wishing he didn't encounter and his group of bullies so often when he's about to leave school. He was hounded by Kurai ever since the start of school year and no matter how much he tries getting away from him or diving out of his sight successfully, he would always be the one being frequently picked on. What's worse is that anyone didn't intervene with his bullying because a rumor persists that he's an heir of a yakuza family, meaning they're less likely to scold him under the fear of retaliation, to Shino's chagrin.

Obviously, the last thing Shino wants is meeting Kurai, who is now standing close to him, looking at him with a smile. A smile he's sure is a front masking his true nature. But since that didn't come to pass, he might as well try avoid interacting with Kurai any longer and hope he gets the message to leave him alone. He wanted to rest together with Ren, and he fears Kurai may ruin that.

"Hey Shino! So glad to see you!" Kurai raised his hand as he greeted him warmly. "Man, today is so hot… I knew I should've bought a water from a vending machine if I knew it would get this hot."

Shino narrowed his eyes. He's not fooled of his friendly demeanor, believing he has ulterior motives. A glance around Kurai has him see his gray bike lying on the ground next to his, its tires slashed and its frame has scratch marks all over. He resisted the urge to growl, knowing well what happened to his bike.

"Grrrr…"

As if responding to him not growling in anger, Tadaaki glares at Kurai, baring his teeth at the unfamiliar boy trespassing his owner's home. Kurai looked down to the Shiba Inu, seemingly surprised. "Oh, this your pet dog? You were taking him out for a walk, huh?" He looked again to Shino. "That's so sweet of you. Even though it is hot, you took him out for a stroll anyway. Aaaand you have an empty water bottle on you, so I guess you know to keep yourself and your dog refreshed."

"…Why thank you for your observation. It is recommended we drink dozens of water during hot weather, or else you'll get a heat stroke," responded Shino, his response dripping with sarcasm that isn't lost to Kurai. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must adjust my bike that someone else," he pointedly stared at him,"…carelessly damaged before me and Tadaaki go inside."

After gesturing Tadaaki to not pay Kurai any attention, Shino proceeds to walk towards his bike. He's planning to take his bike to the repair shop tomorrow and replace the slashed tires and clean the bike's frame. It was in good condition too, so to think it was damaged by someone irks him. Well, all the money I saved up looks good, so it won't be a problem.

He was about to lift the bike up, still holding on to Tadaaki's leash, when Kurai speaks up behind him as he moves close. "Hey hey, what's with the cold reception? It is rude you brushed me off. Least you could spare some nice words to me, Shino."

Grimacing, Shino turned away from his bike to face Kurai. "Sorry, but I have nothing more to say to you. Please leave."

"Now, now, no need to be up in your arms to me," he threw up his hands in a placating manner. "I just only want to talk. Even a simple conversation between us should be enough before I can leave. So what do you say?"

Shino is growing more annoyed every second he's within breathing distance of this bully. As much he wants to let loose and tell him off for sure, he doesn't want to deal with retaliation. He wants to go inside and take a rest with Ren, waiting for his relatives to come home, but as long as Kurai is here, he fears he won't leave him alone. And besides, Kurai is suddenly being nice to him, so maybe he can send him away politely without any harm done to him.

Taking a deep breath first to calm his irritated mind, Shino decides to bite, speaking to him. "What is there to talk about?"

"Well…" Crossing his arms, Kurai thinks for a moment before he responds, "How you did in your mid-terms?"

Raising an eyebrow, Shino shrugs, saying, "I think I've done well. I can only hope all my studying and reviewing, and having a calm mind pay off. Whether I attain an above-average score or higher than that is fine to me, as long as I pass all my subjects."

"Hmm, I can imagine that. You are one of the hardworking students in our class," replied Kurai. "Maybe some of our teachers and classmates expect you to have a higher test score. Overcoming that hurdle is a daunting task."

"Can't argue against that," admitted Shino. "All I care is that I pass all my subjects. Gaining a great score might be ideal, but in my opinion, an above-average score should do it. I'm not a perfectionist type."

"Being humble, huh? I never imagined that in you given you're so hardworking," Kurai noted. "Heh, you're one-of-a-kind, Shino. Can't believe you're the son of a famous musician and fashion model."

Shino flinches a little when Kurai mentioned that, picking up a subtle biting tone in his words. He immediately didn't like his tone transitioning as his anxiousness returned. So he is faking it. Our conversation about how I did in mid-terms could possibly be a ploy to get my guard down! I was hoping it would lead me to politely turn him away and leave me and Tadaaki alone. Curse my sudden lapse in judgment. I should've continued strolling around when I first saw Kurai outside the house.

He doesn't want Kurai to insult him once more upon bringing his parents' professions and status up, not when summer vacation is around the corner. He then says, "Kurai, listen. I-"

"Oh, there's no need to say more in your defense, Shino," Kurai suddenly told him, waving both his hands with a chuckle and sheepish expression. "I do understand why you are so humble to others, especially since you always want to be alone and keep it to yourself."

"Really?"

"Uh huh! Which is why…" Like a weather changing suddenly, Kurai's friendly and casual demeanor immediately vanished out of him, specifically from his face as his eyes glared heavily on Shino. In spite of the change in behavior, his smile remained, something that is all too familiar to him, prompting alarm bells to ring in his mind when Kurai says this, "I intend to snuff it out."

"W-What?"

カッキン

"AAAGGGH!"

Before he can respond or run away with Tadaaki in tow, something struck the back of his head, making him fall to the ground hard. His body become near unresponsive, the dull pain being the only thing he can perceive. A piercing sound rings in both his ears, almost obscuring Tadaaki barking up a storm at someone, most likely the perpetrator who hit Shino.

"Yes! A direct hit! What should we do to him, little bro?"

"What else? Carry him to the van! And leave his dog behind!"

He barely heard those words and before he was forcefully shut up by someone, only registering Kurai has brought his an acquaintance before he falls unconscious.

"Ugh… Wh…What…?"

Stirring himself awake, Shino groggily opens his eyes, his vision blurry for a few seconds before it clears. With a groan escaping from his mouth, he tries to rise up from his lying posture, feeling his body being ticklish and multiple soft and sharp objects brushing against his left side. As more of his consciousness returns, he soon becomes aware that his hands are behind his back, and they are held up close together. "W-Wait, my hands… Why are they…?" Moving his hands, he feels a tight rope binding his wrists, causing his eyes to shot up wide.

As soon as he did, Shino realizes that he's not near his home, instead he's in a forest clearing. He was resting on a grass, explaining why he felt something sharp and soft brushing against his face. Next, he sees he's not alone here, as many people of the same age as him or older, mostly wearing a suit with either a coat on or not. While there are many guys in attendance, there are few girls in the crowd too and they look intimidating as well. Some of them realize he has woken up and proceed to inform everyone. Before he knew it, Shino senses many eyes staring down on him literally, and if he dared look at any of them, he can see they are smiling.

ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ

Blinking in confusion and fear since he does not like how they are smiling and staring down to him contemptuously, Shino tried to move his hands around in hopes of freeing himself from their bindings. Unfortunately, the rope was made too tight, so he could barely muster slight movements in his hands. Desperately wanting to know what's happening, he exclaims, "Hey, what the heck is going on!? Why are my hands tied up? A-And who are you people?!"

"You really want to know, Shino? Very well." Someone in the crowd spoke up. Shino froze in dread, now remembering the events leading up to this. As he feared, Kurai comes out of the assembled crowd, his green hair and sadistic grin ever present on him as he moves close to him. He's not alone as a boy accompanies him who has the same smile and green hair on him, even having the same height as Kurai!

It didn't take long for Shino to realize who the Kurai lookalike is… and what their intentions are, much to his discomfort if this crowd and being in a secluded place are any indication.

"Rise and shine. Lay off all the sleepiness out of you," Yami Sakiyama, Kurai's older twin brother, harshly told him, speaking in a slightly deeper voice than Kurai. "All of us don't have all day to wait for your sleepy butt to wake up. Or would you me to beat you up now so you fully rise up?"

"Huh?!" Shino goes wide-eyed.

"Patience, big bro. You and your friends will beat him up later after I'm done talking to him," Kurai calmed him down, raising his arm as a gesture to stop him.

"Hey, I've been itching to rough him up after I struck his head with a bat!" Yami complained. "I can't let all my adrenaline drain off after putting all my might on the swing!"

"Geez, you can be impatient a lot of times, y'know big bro?" Kurai sighed. "It's not gonna take long. Step back for a while, okay?"

"Ugh, fine…"

Watching Yami walks back to the crowd, Kurai smiled to his direction before redirecting it to the defenseless Shino, his smile becoming wicked as he looks down at his tied-up victim. "So, Shino… I can guess you are wondering what we are doing here and what the event is. Care to hear it?"

Shino furrows his eyebrows in anger, disliking how he sounded sadistic. "Like I would hear it straight from your mouth after listening to your talk with your twin!"

"Oh, that's good," Kurai nodded. "You caught up so quick after getting knocked unconscious. Speaking of that, how does it feel? Is your head still throbbing in pain, and are you feeling a little woozy?" He pointed a finger to his head and spins it.

"Nnnngh…!" His words are really getting to him, tempting him more to free himself out of the rope. At this point, his wrist might have developed rope burns. He is angry, but he is scared on what Kurai is planning to do to him.

He has a response ready to be said, but he realized something missing in him. He stops struggling to look around him with some difficulty due to his position, before he glares up to Kurai and asks, "Hey, where's Tadaaki?"

"Tadaaki? That's the name of your dog?"

"Yes!" Shino clarified through clenched teeth. "Where is he?! Did you take him too!?"

"Ah, how should I put this… No, we didn't take him," admitted Kurai, with a shrug. "One of my guys held him back as I carried your unconscious body to the van parked around the corner of your house. Once you're in, he lets go of the leash before we drive off to this clearing, leaving Tadaaki in the dust. Hehehe, I'm sure your precious dog is running around town as we speak, trying to find his beloved owner."

"Grrrr!" Shino growled, getting more incensed and scared, especially when a horrifying thought came to him. "You… You simply let him go and didn't hurt him?"

"No." He simply said. "Why waste my energy on a dumb mutt who stuck around with someone worthless like you?"

That gave a rise out of Shino. "Don't call him dumb! And don't call me worthless too! You didn't know how much I treasured him ever since my-"

"SHUT UP!"

ドゴッ

"Gack!"

Shino screamed out when Kurai kicked his abdomen hard, stopping him from saying more. A stinging pain make its way around his belly, right after the dull pain on his head is gone. If his hands were free, he would've put them on his stomach. Instead, he pulls his knees close.

Grinning in satisfaction, Kurai crouches down and sneers to his face. "You should have known your place before you babbled. Or maybe a kick to your stomach did the trick on reminding you of what's gonna happen to you?"

"Mmmnngh…!" Shino defiantly glared at him, enduring the pain. He had known what tactics Kurai will do just to make his life miserable, but taking him in a secluded clearing surrounded by his and Yami's friends who were on the same agenda as him is seen as a step too far in his eyes. "J-Just… why did you put me here? What… reason is there you are doing this?"

At his question, Kurai frowned, getting up on his feet again. "Do I have to remind you, Shino?" He responded in a biting tone. "Tch! Well! In case you may have forgotten…" He kicked his stomach again, this time more forceful than the first.

ボゴッ

"AAAAGH!"

"…You dared stood up against me!" Kurai lays out his reason. "Me! Your senior in our school! As your senior currently in his third year of high school, I have every right to do everything I want on every student two grades lower than mine! Since you're half-Japanese, you're an easy picking to me, which is why I frequently chose you over a lot of students in your class and other grade! You should've been proud your senior always chose you over them, instead of defying me!"

"Excuse me!?" Shino takes offense on that. "Why would I be proud when all you did is bully me!? You blind or decide to ignore the actual meaning because you're sooo tough and mean and that I'm weak and a fool!"

That earned him a third kick. "Guuugh!"

"You took the words out of my mouth!" Kurai smirked again after kicking him for a third time, causing him to pull his knees really close to his stomach as he spits out little specks of blood. He puts his foot on his head as he says more, "You should know how this world works. Only the strong will survive while the weak will crumble under their might. I always lived that philosophy, and I will follow it all my life when I became a patriarch of my yakuza family. It was an insult to me that someone as weak as you have the gall of standing up to my 'bullying' as you claimed. And because of that, this is where we are now. You have only no one else to blame but yourself for being in this predicament, Shino!"

His little speech about the dynamic between strong and weak irritated Shino to no end. However, it's his petty motive over getting stood up that angered him. He kidnapped him to this clearing where he will get beat up by his brother and dozens of his friends all because he defied him!?

Shino is worried when he realized the rumors about Kurai being in a yakuza is true. The presence of many men in suits bearing intimidating faces and posture proves beyond the doubt it is real, and in spite of that, the few non-yakuza don't mind being near them. He would go beyond kicking a hornet's nest if he pushed his luck.

However, he couldn't contain the anger in him due to how far Kurai has gone in the name of exacting revenge against him, so he speaks out against him with some cold hard truth about him. "So all this happened because you felt slighted by me?! When I had had enough of you hounding me no matter what I do!?" Baring his teeth, Shino's next words came out in a quiet tone, though it served to heighten the meaning. "You're pathetic, Kurai."

"What was that?" Kurai threateningly asked.

He knew what he said would lead him to get beaten up for real, but he didn't want his hated bully to feel the satisfaction of putting him in place and teaching him a lesson. So after a deep breath, he says what he truly think of him. "I know you heard me! You're pathetic! Actually no, calling you pathetic isn't enough in my eyes. You're nothing more but a high and mighty prick who only picked on those weaker than him because you're cowardly enough to take on someone taller and stronger than you! You're hearing me clear, right Kurai! In case you didn't, let me repeat it again…! You're an arrogant coward who got it easy because your victims couldn't fight back, when in truth, you are actually a WEAKLING!"

"AAAAAAAAGH!"

ドガ!

That fourth kick is a lot stronger than before, stemming from how Kurai is really furious on what Shino called him. It made Shino lurched, spitting out blood as he reeled from the pain. He glared hatefully at his loathsome favorite victim, feeling so slighted of his words. He would feel unsatisfied more if he let Shino free to mock him.

"Hey little bro! Shino is getting on my nerves! Can we beat him up, now?" Yami told him, clenching his fists in anger as he glared daggers at Shino. Kurai steps back, having decided it's time for Shino to be put more in his place.

"Yes. Give it everything you got, all of you. I don't want you to stop until he's bruised all over…and see the look of misery in his pathetic face after he stood up to me yesterday and currently."

"Alright!"

Before Shino knows it, his vision and sensation got drowned out in a blur of pain and agony as Kurai's brother and flunkies beat him up without mercy. Bruises were made all around his body as Shino suffer a harsh beating that squarely landed him in a lot of agony. This goes on for five minutes, not letting the poor boy rest as they punched or kicked him, some of them even using a knife or baseball bat to inflict extra pain to him. As this happens, Kurai, calming himself down after getting riled up by Shino's insults, enjoyed the brutal beating his most favorite victim to pick on received, feeling satisfied on making him know his place and who he's speaking to.

"Bark, bark! Bark, bark!"

"Huh?"

Hearing a dog barking, Kurai turns to where he heard it and sees Tadaaki have arrived to the clearing, much to his surprise. "What? The Shiba Inu? He went so far just to find Shino?" He muttered in disbelief.

"Bark, bark! Bark, bark!" Tadaaki barked angrily at Kurai, recognizing him to be the one who kidnapped Shino and put him here, as well as to his flunkies mauling him. He doesn't like that, so he run straight to the group to stop them. Unfortunately, Kurai grabs his leash, stopping Tadaaki in his tracks when he was inches away from biting any of the assaulters, before the green-haired bully pulled the Shiba Inu close hard.

"Not so fast! You won't interfere until they're done! So be a good boy and stay still!" Kurai exclaimed harshly.

At Shino continues getting beat up, not hearing his pet dog's arrival except the impact of their punches and kicks and his bones fracturing, Tadaaki barks up a storm, his throat partially obstructed by a collar thanks to Kurai as he struggled against him, briefly jumping up on his two legs in hopes of freeing himself before falling on four legs and repeating the process. At first, Kurai and his men ignored the Shiba Inu, deeming him as just a dumb mutt accompanying Shino and coldly telling him to stop. However, Tadaaki didn't stop, becoming angrier at Kurai while making him more irritated by his loud barking and his refusal to stop.

"Grrr! Shut up, you stupid dog! I said SHUT UP!" Kurai ordered Tadaaki, growling at the dog. When he still didn't stop, he's had enough. "That does it! Here's what'll make you shut up!"

Picking up a gun from somewhere left by one of his men, he aimed the barrel to the barking Shiba Inu and…

スガーン! スガーン! スガーン!

"AYEEEEEEE!"

The worst nightmare every single pet owner will hear is their pets crying out in pain. In this case, their yelping is heard louder than it usual is, and was emphasized by an echoing gunshot. In the sea of excruciating pain and beating Shino received, he finally realized Tadaaki had come to the clearing… and heard three gunshots and his pained howl after.

W-What? That sounds like… No. No no no no no… Please be okay, please be okay, please be-

The pit in his stomach was made deeper when, after the yakuzas are done beating him up five minutes later after Kurai, feeling irritated thanks to Tadaaki, ordered them to stop, he sees, in his blurry or wavy vision, Tadaaki twitching in pain, his blood visible below him, trickling out from his wound. In that moment, Shino didn't care he got a black eye, broken nose, fractured bones in his arms, chest, and legs, and a bruised and wounded body stained with so much blood especially prominent on his battered face, nor the massive pain he's in. All that mattered to him is the sight of his loyal companion got shot thrice.

It didn't take long for Shino to realize what Kurai did. He lied on his side, becoming frozen in shock and fear over seeing his loyal companion, the last gift his parents' ever gave to him posthumously, and whom he treat it with as much care and kindness like they showered him with, mortally wounded.

Tears pooled out of his eyes, the horrible sight before him happening in a worst way possible. "T… Tadaaki?" Shino sorely wanted to crawl to him, desperate to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, his body felt numb all over, his arms and legs not moving due to the pain and the shock overtaking his mind.

After seeing he was sufficiently beaten up, Kurai ordered them to stop and step back from Shino. Apparently satisfied, they did as he told them, revealing Shino bloodied and bruised all over. The rope binding his wrists were removed so they are free to throw him around after every attack. Kurai shouldn't be worried of him escaping after he's free since he's gravely injured.

Kurai chuckled darkly at Shino's sorry state as he moved close to him. "Well, well… how easy it is to snuff out any thoughts of retaliation from someone. Proves that you are all talk, sugarcoating words just to make you feel stronger than me."

"A-Aaaaahhh…" Shino couldn't muster a retort to him, his entire attention focused on Ren.

"I can plainly see you have no room to talk," he condescendingly remarked, feeling more satisfied hearing him groan. "Hmph, remain silent all you want. I would like it if you could look at me in the eyes."

Few seconds after Kurai spoke, Shino strained his neck to lift his face up so his eyes are visible. Instead of a look comparable to a cornered prey however, he's weakly but surely glared at him once more, unwilling to give him more satisfaction on seeing him weak. Naturally, Kurai has had enough of him.

"Grrrr! You don't know when to quit, do you!?"

With a vicious frown, he walks over to Shino before proceeding to put insult to his injuries by kicking and stomping his body as hard as he can.

"Take this! And this! And that! And one of these!" Kurai exclaimed with each fierce kick, the smirk never leaving his face. "This is what you get when you stand up to me, you ingrate! I'm the heir to a yakuza family like the rumors said, so don't you forget it, ya hear me!? If you dare do that again, I'll cripple you for life and make your relatives' lives miserable!"

Feeling not satisfied, Kurai pulled out a gun and aimed it a Shino, who momentarily break his glaring to stare terrifyingly at the pistol. He's not the only one as Yami and their flunkies looked at him in surprise, shock, and terror.

"Little bro? That pistol! Y-You're not gonna-" Yami inquired, sounding fearful.

"Who cares!?" Kurai shouted. "I'm gonna use it to end his pathetic life! I have had enough of him defying me! Besides, he can join his dumb dog soon after I put a bullet to his head!" After exclaiming that, Kurai puts his finger on the trigger and presses it…

…only for his wrist to suddenly paralyze, surprising and puzzling him. "H-Huh!?"

Before he can react, the pistol suddenly disappeared without a trace, much to his and the onlookers' shock. "W-What!? The pistol…! How did it-!"

"TAMA!"

ドゴォッ!

"GRAAAAGH!"

Kurai feels the wind got knocked out of his lungs when he got punched on his stomach, sending him backwards into the group and making some of them stumbling.

"Little bro!?" Yami moved to his side, putting his hands on his shoulder in concern. Surprised he was thrown backwards impossibly, Kurai's friends and yakuza men supported him, worried and confused over what attacked him. "What's wrong!? Did something hit you!?" Before they can hear his response other than his groaning, someone screamed in fright.

"Uwaaah! W-What is that!?"

All of them looked up to see a delinquent girl pointing at something in front of them, her face full of terror. Alarmed, they follow where her finger is pointing…

"Huh?! Is that a… g-ghost!?"

"A ghost!? Ghosts are real?!"

"It's looking at us with those eyes… I-I don't like how it looks…"

"Hiiii! The top of its head are open! It looks so morbid!"

"Are those wings? They look like… a dragonfly wings!

"What is going on!? What kind of ghost is that!?"

Yami flinched in shock at the sight of a transparent being floating above the shell-shocked Shino. Though his creepy eyes are indeed looking at every single person present, it's specifically looking towards a certain someone. Someone who is being assisted by him.

"L-Little bro…? I don't like how it's looking at you."

"Huh?" As for Kurai, he lifted his face to see what his older twin is saying. Upon gaining eye contact however, Kurai immediately feels a pit in his stomach grow wider as sweat pours out of his face, which he hoped is definitely caused by the summer heat. Not fear.

"W-W-Wha…" Kurai stuttered, not realizing yet he's looking at what seemed to be equivalent to Death, or a divine retribution thanks to his actions. "What… am I… looking at?"

As if in response, the "ghost" rears its fist before zooming straight towards the no-good bullies, much to Kurai's and everyone's fright as they happened to look straight into its creepy eyes…

Shino didn't know what happened the whole time he stared in silent shock at Tadaaki, nor couldn't he care what became of them after three minutes have passed. All he knows are plenty of yakuzas and bullies were sprawled around the ground, battered and injured like him except worse. Some of them have arms and legs bent the wrong way, faces so bruised they were nearly unrecognizable, and some rocks or sticks actually injuring them via smacking their heads or stabbing them. For the most part though, they look like as if they were punched a hundred times, especially when their bones are fractured.

However, none of them suffered so much torment and terror than Kurai himself, who was unfortunate to receive the absolute worst beating he ever had. He is lying against a tree with all his limbs bent the wrong way, ankles and wrists injured, rendering his hands and feet limp, feeling so sore all over he couldn't move his body, not that he could considering the state of his limbs, and plenty of blood flowing out of his numerous wounds, most of them located on his head when he got bashed against a tree five times. This is marked by a blood stained on that particular tree trunk.

Whether he's suffering through so much pain or not, Kurai could only stutter in fear, his eyes nearly bulging out of his eye socket and his body shivering or perhaps twitching. He didn't dare look anywhere except down, his face frozen in terror.

"M-M-Monster… I-I saw… a-a monster…" Kurai repeated that words like a mantra, seemingly catatonic.

Shino vaguely heard him say it, but he didn't muster any response against him. He chose to continue lying down, having not the willpower to do so. Not when he noticed Tadaaki crawling to him, leaving a trail of blood behind.

"T…Tadaaki…" Shino called out, reaching his hands to grab him and pull him closer to him, therefore hugging him. "I-I'm… I'm here. I'm by your side…" He reassured the dying dog, nestling his face to his blood-soaked fur.

Tadaaki whimpered in pain, relishing the warmth his master is giving him as he raised his snout up to lick his face. Shino stared in his dulling eyes in response, wanting his pet's last sight to be his beloved owner's face.

"I-It's okay… You can…rest now," Shino didn't want to say it, but he knows Tadaaki wouldn't make it so he put those words out. His eyes are brimming with tears, yet he puts up a strong front just to comfort Tadaaki more.

The Shiba Inu lets out one more quiet bark before he closes his eyes. Three seconds later, he gone limp in Shino's grasp. Sensing his passing, Shino let's out more of tears as he sobs despairingly over the loss of his close companion, who was a gift meant to be given to him by his deceased parents as a gift.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" Shino muttered between sobbing, continuing embracing Tadaaki for many minutes even after every single bully got knocked unconscious after the "ghost" inflicted a hell lot of retribution against them, especially to Kurai…

A whole week have passed after his near fatal encounter with the Sakiyama family. Shino stands before Tadaaki's small grave, erected beside his parents' larger graves, holding an umbrella with a miserable look on his face. The rain is pouring heavily in this time of day, with Shino being the sole person outside standing under the pattering raindrops. Some part of his black clothes got drenched by the splashing rain, with his shoes and socks really soaking wet. Shino doesn't care if he continues getting wet as his attention is solely on the three graves.

As for what happened to Kurai and the Sakiyama family, he and Yami were immediately expelled from school after police pinpointed them as primary suspects of Shino's kidnapping. After answering a call from Shino's relatives about his suspicious long absence, they heard from few neighbors about a green-haired boy kidnapping Shino and Tadaaki running across the streets to search his owner, so they dispatched to find him. After nearly thirty minutes, they arrived to the clearing and found what appeared to be the aftermath of a massive brawl between yakuzas and, worryingly, ordinary students possibly caught up in the brawl, including Shino.

It was obvious who the suspects were. Kurai and the Sakiyama family were indicted as the main culprits behind the crime, the boy himself still near-catatonic after claiming to have seen a "monster". The results were immediate: Kurai, Yami, and other bullies recognized to have frequently picked on Shino or affiliated with them got expelled from school, the Sakiyama family was forced to leave Saga Prefecture to avoid police attention, but not before compensating Shino's relatives with money under Kurai's frantic behest for the injuries done on Shino (that they refused aside paying for his hospital bills), and the incident becoming a news sensation for many weeks.

With Shino deemed as one of the victims behind the Sakiyama family's brutal brawl, no one suspected he was the real reason why a lot of them were in bad shape. They also didn't believe Kurai's assertions about a "monster" spawning from him as nothing more than his fear-laden mantra. They are perplexed on the cause over his pathetic state and why he believes Shino has something to do with it, but they chose to turn a blind eye, not wanting to deal with a child of a humiliated yakuza family.

In spite of Kurai being gone from his life for good, it didn't comfort Shino, for he has paid a price due to being a victim. He is satisfied yes, though he's not really feeling it for now.

A lot of feelings are going in Shino's head. Most of these are nothing but negative, owing to the loss of another member of his family. Three years were too soon to see a member of his family die, when the mental scars over his parents' deaths are still fresh. He was hoping their companionship would continue for many years, helping him move on from their deaths. But no, Kurai just have to ruin it, and he absolutely made sure he was punished for it.

…Did I? Shino thought, wondering what happened a week ago that he couldn't remember well. My 「power」… Did I used that? If so, it felt different. Like I'm not using most of it, or not at all. It's like… a guardian angel protected me and exact retribution against the bullies…

As if responding to his thought, Shino feels some of his energy leaving his head before hearing a sound akin to a glass shattering but in reverse. He turns to his right to see the same "ghost" who protected him and attacked the bullies. The one Kurai called a "monster".

However, he is wrong calling the ghost-like being a monster. Now that he had a good look to it, he sees it's a transparent humanoid being with glass-like skin devoid of any blemish, four wings protruding from his back, peeled head top with bits of skin hanging loose around the top, and two white irises in the tiny sea of black eyes staring at him vacantly.

Shino looked at the being's cold eyes, attempting to gauge a response from it. Given its creepy appearance, he should be scared of it under the belief it's a ghost. He's in a graveyard, so it has some basis for it even though his belief in supernatural is shaky at best. But he didn't. Instead, he feels a little comforted under its gaze. Like it should be familiar to him, which he believes it.

"…What are you?" Shino tried asking it.

"…" The glass-like being simply stared at him, mimicking his own staring.

Seeing it didn't even speak, Shino grows confused until he flinched in little surprise. Blinking, he says, "You… are me?"

"…"

"The… manifestation of my soul? Related to my… 「power」?"

"…"

Call him crazy if you like, but somehow, this spiritual being is having a conversation to him in his mind. Shino knows what it's doing if it doesn't want to say out loud, which is called telepathy. This was made possible thanks to his "talent". Or in another word, his ability born from his psyche.

After staring at the psychic being for a few seconds, Shino averts his eyes unsurely. "So I managed to call out your humanoid form when I became in danger of dying. And it's my distress over seeing Tadaaki got shot that triggered it…" He moves his eyes downward, his sorrowful look returning over the fact he obtained a weapon when he suffered another traumatic event, like when he got so sick with a high fever he was taken to hospital.

Now that he think about it, wasn't that when he gained his strange power? And this humanoid ghost told him that he's part of that strange power. If what it said is true, could it be…?

Well, his hair turned gray sometime after the spirit manifested, which he later noticed after looking at his reflection. Call him superstitious, but his hair turning gray could be a sign of something… ominous.

Setting the thought aside, Shino looks straight to the ghost again, wondering what he should do with it. Since he's considered part of him, he won't be parting with it so soon. And maybe… that's the best course of action he should take. He needed something, just anything, to help him deal the aftermath.

Maybe… I won't be alone again. Even if it's technically my own self accompanying me.

"So, seeing you'll be part of me from now on… I should give you a name. And I think I know just the name…" Shino said.

The "ghost" didn't say anything as Shino chooses this name it shall be called from now on. "Starting this day, you shall be named… 「Linkin Park」."

Age: 15, Year: 2008

It is spring season in Karatsu, Saga. A flurry of blossomed pink petals decorate many places around the prefecture, giving the people a pretty sight to behold in the span of the cherry blossoms' peak bloom.

As expected for this season, many people are visiting various parks, attractions or places to see them. Laughter and cheering dominate the pervading mood quickly as children interact with their parents or play with their friends, drinking parties are made by every adults, stalls are set up for bringing food or games and prizes, and music is even heard, played by the rising pop idol group, Iron Frill.

The song that is being played is their number one hit song, Fantastic Lovers. Fans of the idol group are naturally enjoying the song with a big smile, most of them being little or teenaged girls singing along because they aspire to be like them. One such fan is humming along the tune of the song, bopping her head along with the beat.

Sakura Minamoto giggled to herself once the song is finished, having pictured herself dancing in Iron Frill's outfit in her mind. "Aaaah, their trademark song sounds great like I always thought it was when I first heard them live! I'm glad they are rising in popularity and that I am a fan of them." She exclaimed before turning to her companion she brought along for hanami. "Don't you think so, Shino-kun?"

The fifteen-year old boy perked up, snapping out of his stupor when he heard his senpai call him. He looks at her in an instant, becoming alerted. "Huh? Ah! Y…Y-Yeah! Their song may have never left my head due to how much I recite the lyrics without intending to. No wonder it's their number one hit debut single."

Sakura gives him a critical look because she knows he may have listened absent-mindedly, meaning he didn't pay attention. "Do you mean what you said? It's not because you're repeating what everyone is saying about them, right?"

"Uhhh, well…" His stuttering made him caught red-handed. "I-I mean, I mean it when I said I like Iron Frill and their catchy songs! I'm more into anything rock or metal, but-"

"Hey, relax. I'm only joking," she assured him with a chuckle. "You already said that when you first heard them. No need to overcorrect yourself out of fear you might be wrong."

Hearing her, Shino's nervous disposition changed into an indignant one, his cheek pouting in slight irritation as he says, "Mmmmgh, you do know I don't do well when I got too anxious, senpai." He crossed his arms to make his point.

This makes Sakura giggle at his indignant posture, replying, "Awww, but you look cute when you get nervous."

"Hey, I ain't cute!"

"Sure you are! You're just denying it!"

"T-That, I…!" Seeing it would be pointless to argue more against her, Shino choose to shut his mouth, averting away from his senpai with a pout. Thankfully for him, Sakura stopped teasing him as they continue walking along the path flanked by cherry blossom trees. "Sometimes I wonder why I am friends with you…" He muttered out of her earshot.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"N-Nothing."

As much he doesn't like Sakura poking fun of him for his nervousness, supposed adorableness, and being shorter than her (something he less tolerates), Shino knew she didn't mean it seriously. It's only playful teasing in her part, and it is clear to him she's being affectionate to her little kohai whom she befriended out of compassion in her heart when she saw in his eyes how utterly lonely and miserable he is.

Shino wouldn't want to admit at first, but he's eternally grateful Sakura became his first ever real friend after trying to push her away under the belief she's preying on his insecurities and need for companionship based on his experiences with Kurai, waiting for an opportunity to mess with him because he became a pariah among Saga due to him harboring an "evil spirit" and supposed delinquency.

On how did these two met, it was a day after the opening ceremony of their school when Sakura and Shino crashed onto each other on their way to their designated classrooms while moving around a corner. Shino got a throbbing head for this and Sakura nursed her rear because she landed awkwardly hard. She's the one who apologized first before he could do, which is when she recognized who he is based on the rumors, souring further his mood. To her credit, she quickly apologized in a close panic when she saw he doesn't like being reminded of that, and Shino fortunately accepted it as he saw she didn't mean it. A ringing school bell cut off their unexpected first meeting so they went their separate ways. For now.

The next time they meet, they were about to go home, with Shino opting to leave early so he wouldn't listen what the other students say about him, most of whom were keeping their distance out of fear and loathing. Sakura is the exception, having heard them when she went outside and saw Shino leaving. She didn't hesitate to go after him and try talking to him because she believes he didn't deserve to be talked down by them. Initially, Shino refused to talk to her and even look at her eyes, but listening to her wanting to cheer him up eventually lead him to choose to reluctantly walk together with her, much to her relief and delight. Little did he know at that time, he had made a great friend. A genuine friend who cares for his well-being and look past his supposed delinquent façade and find a very lonely boy with a lot of baggage.

In return, Shino strived to be Sakura's friend too out of gratitude. Before he became friends with her, he never knew how much he sorely needed even just one friend to hang around with. He was glad that someone is a nice, albeit clumsy girl he called his senpai.

A whole year has passed since that day and these two remain friends as ever who are willing to support each other on their own endeavors and problems with nothing in return other than companionship. Well, Shino insisted he must give something to Sakura because it didn't feel right when she continued supporting him the most out of the two, but she assured him too many times that he didn't need to and he shouldn't be afraid she might look on him out of scorn for not receiving something valuable. Extending from this, Sakura did her best to look after her younger kohai, wanting the best for him that will make him happy. Her efforts have bear fruit as his demeanor slowly improves across the year so that, while there are times when his moody self came back and became a little despondent, he's able to relax and start looking optimistic for his future.

At the end of their first year of friendship, Sakura and Shino are enjoying their spring break. What better way to spend the most of their break before school year starts again by doing hanami? They would have liked it if they got their parents or relatives and Sakura's other friend who could be a contender of being another shy boy aside Shino to join them, but they were either busy on work or have an important matter to attend to. So these two are by themselves.

Cool wind fly past them, sending a little shiver in their bodies. The winter cold hasn't entirely left after spring came, so it's a good thing they wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants for Shino and a long-sleeved dress with thin coat for Sakura to provide her little warmth.

The two continue walking further in the park, filling their eyes with as much cherry blossoms as they can. They better treasure the beautiful sight, for they won't see them again until next early spring. That is such a beauty of the cherry blossoms. They will bloom only once a year, and you have only one chance to see them before they are past their peak, but maybe that is for the best, as seeing them bloom again after a year means it always feel new every time it's hanami season.

"So. Are you enjoying yourself, Shino-kun?"

"Huh?" Shino turns to Sakura when she spoke up.

With a pleasant smile, Sakura asks again, "Are you enjoying taking in the sights of the cherry blossom trees? It's better than holing yourself up in your house all day, right?"

Shino has no reason to lie to her on what he really feels, so he nods assuredly. "Yes, senpai. I'm enjoying our time together."

Sakura's smile widen more, glad to hear it from him. "That's good. The last thing I want is seeing you moping once more. Having a lot of thought in your mind might make you stressed because you will worry a lot, so sometimes, you need to rest and relax."

"Like what we're doing?"

"Of course," she giggled at his obvious question. "I already told you that reason before we left, you know?"

"Right. Just… wanted to clarify," Shino rubs his neck with a chuckle, averting his eyes again. This nervous tic of his hasn't gone unnoticed, leading Sakura to guess that not even many minutes into hanami and Shino is still feeling stressed. It's not fortunately serious, but she will not abide to that.

Adopting a semi-serious look, Sakura stops moving. Noticing she stopped, Shino turns to her again in wonder, asking, "Senpai, why did we stop?"

Facing him, Sakura gets to work pinpointing what's making him so worried again to banish them out of his head. "What are you thinking, Shino-kun? What are you so worried about?"

"H-Huh?" Shino is taken aback. He tries to dismiss his anxious thoughts by stating, "What do you mean? I'm not… thinking much right now. I was, uhhh…" As his mind drew up a blank, Sakura gives him a long look, telling him she's not fooled of his attempt to brush off his thoughts. In this, he relents with a sigh. "Fine. I began thinking a lot as I enjoyed myself in your company and gander at the trees."

"What thoughts?" Sakura urged.

Shino's face becomes nervous again as a worrying thought comes into his head and might not be able to get it out of his mind. "About how everything that happened for the past year ever since you befriended me might be… a fluke. That maybe I didn't deserve such good things happening to me after I lost my parents and Ren. That the good times I have while I was a kid might be over when I saw them got killed. Because… because…"

"You feel like an outcast and weirdo?"

"Y-Yeah. That's right," he sighed again. He casted a worried look over at Sakura before he asks, "So senpai, what do you think? Is it worth it for you to be… friends with a… 'delinquent' like me, knowing you will receive unfavorable looks from anyone? That even what they believe to be perhaps a blight in the entire Saga deserve to experience a pleasant occasion like we are doing currently?"

After finishing putting out his question, Shino averts his eyes, becoming more worried if he might have said something disapproving to his senpai. She may be his friend, but he believes she's not gonna look past any disapproving actions should he do it. Maybe… Maybe he should have lied. Sure it could be futile, but if he believes so surely and insists in his lie, he could make her back off and left him be, hoping those thoughts will disappear in a minute or two. He feels bad if he did try it, but the fear of rejection is there.

After a tense moment, Shino slowly returns to looking straight at Sakura's eyes, who didn't move even an inch during it. Before he fears he may have said something bad that his best friend went silent in disgust, she put out her response to lay those thoughts to rest. "I have said this before Shino, but I'll say it again: You deserve to have a good time to yourself, and I've never regretted being your friend and senior who looks after you."

"R…Really?" Shino asked simply, his eyes filled with hope that she is true.

"Yes, really," Sakura insisted strongly, a hand over her chest. "If someone doesn't like you being friends with me, let them. Whether they may realize it or not, ignoring them is the best choice. Someone's scathing opinion of you shouldn't be obsessed over when it potentially came from only one person. As part of that, I knew from the moment I first laid eyes on your own that I'm not looking at a nuisance who should be cast out of Saga, but instead, a miserable boy who have suffered alone and in dire need of companionship. Who I relate to so much given what happened in the past doesn't sound different from what you endured…" Her face went forlorn when she said that part, something Shino knows too well especially after learning the reason why.

He didn't have to spell it out loud as he light gasped in delight over what she really felt to him. His delight increased when Sakura puts both her hands onto his shoulders, pulling her empathic face to him that speaks a hundred words. Words that tells him he shouldn't think twice on their friendship one year later.

"As your friend, please let it be known to you that I am happy to be your friend. No one will say otherwise that I'm only using the prospect of friendship to trick you. No, you are my friend. Do you understand?" She implored with a smile. "If you got too worried again, please let me know. No matter where I am and what I am doing, I'll drop them so I can come and comfort you."

"Are… Are you sure…? I don't… want to bother you if you are doing something impor-"

"Like I said," Sakura puts a finger to his mouth, gently shushing him. "I'll drop what I'm doing so I can cheer you up. You are my friend, and this is what I want to do to you."

"Senpai…" Seeing how serious she is, any counter arguments Shino have is swallowed in his throat, never to be spoken again. If he still has any doubts in his heart that Sakura is not his real friend, then this important talk should dispel any lingering fragments of them at once.

Unable to contain his relief and bliss, Shino sheds tears of joy, full glad he's right to put a lot of trust to Sakura. "T-Thank you. Thank you, senpai… for *sobs* being my… f-friend." He sniffed with a crooked smile.

"No need to thank me," insisted Sakura as she stands up straight. "Just being your friend is enough. So, may we continue observing the cherry blossoms, Shino-kun?"

Wiping his eyes, Shino didn't hesitate to nod excitedly, feeling himself cheered up that will carry him for the rest of the day and hanami. "Yes senpai! Let's enjoy ourselves more!"

"Now that's the spirit! Let's buy some food, Shino. The food stalls are over there so let's get near one of them. I wonder if there are sweet foods like a crepe or ice cream."

"I would like it if I could buy spicy foods first. You want them, senpai?"

"No, no. You know I don't like spicy foods."

"Ah, right. Must have slipped out of my mind, haha."

And so, Shino and Sakura enjoy the rest of afternoon seeing more of cherry blossoms, buying from food stalls, and having a chat on what's their next plans are. The two wanted to cherish this day more as time rolls on, so they ended up extending their hanami viewing until the sun has set. They didn't complain if it means they could enjoy their company more.

Especially when Sakura died from a vehicular accident just as she was leaving the house few days later. Shino unfortunately witnessed her passing, and to say he didn't take it well is an understatement. He was so happy to have made a friend, and seeing her got killed instantly left him devastated.

No one, perhaps the exception of his relatives, would see him for a few days. He could be mourning the loss of his dear friend somewhere, possibly in his home, but unless they see him or he shows up, Shino's whereabouts were unknown…

…until reports came in about a possible suicide attempt of a fifteen-year-old boy who willingly jumped from a school's rooftop. At that height, no one could survive a hard fall to the ground, and it is feared the teenager may have died instantly. It sure seemed that way because he was unresponsive and his blood spilling out of his body was immediately seen.

It didn't take long before responders recognized the unconscious teenager was a friend of Sakura Minamoto, and based on eyewitness accounts, they believed he had a look of acceptance and despair on his face.

An expression holding a bitter realization that, one way or another, Shino Wakefield might be doomed to be alone if someone close to him always die.

Age: 19, Year: 2012

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! ! ! !"

Shino screamed in terror as he wakes up from his nightmare. He rises up instantly, his body drenched in cold sweat as he continued screaming his lungs out. Few seconds later, he stops screaming when he slowly realizes he has woken up to the real world, and it's now replaced with an unsteady panting.

As part of this realization, Shino puts his hand onto his forehead before he looked around to see he's lying on a futon with a blanket covering his legs, and he's in someone's bedroom. Little bits of dim sunlight passed through the paper sheets of windows, indicating what time of day it is.

"…Nightmare. A nightmare…" Shino muttered to himself, shaking his head to ward off the lingering vestiges of nightmare away. As much he wants to believe it's a nightmare, he bitterly knew that the so-called nightmare was his memory coming back to haunt him. A memory he made before falling comatose.

As he steadies his breathing, Shino looks around. For some reason, he is a little puzzled on why he's lying on a futon. His panting slows to a crawl along with his heartbeat and frantic breathing, becoming a little relaxed. He turned his eyes to look at the blanket covering him, a look of confusion on his face.

Before he can think more, a door is heard being opened loud, pulling his attention. "I heard a scream! What on earth- Ah!"

Shino's eyes lit up in recognition upon seeing the woman standing in the doorway. If he's still feeling scared thanks to his nightmare, then it should've all but vanished and replaced with relief upon seeing her. His girlfriend.

"Oh, Emi…" Shino muttered with a small smile. "Is it morning already? If so, then good morning." He expects her greeting in return, wanting to hear more of her sweet voice. However, she didn't, instead marching up straight to the futon, followed by her two pets who went on to stand by his side and look up to him.

Sensing a little tension in the air, Shino is wondering why are the three appeared to be acting different and was about to ask when he felt his cheek being held by Emi sitting opposite of him. She looks right into his eyes unblinkingly. He doesn't panic because he recognized what this gesture means.

"Why are you examining my 「soul」? Is there… something wrong with me?" He asked unsurely.

After three seconds, Emi broke eye contact and next pulled his hand up before putting two fingers onto his wrist. Shino recognizes she's checking his pulse so, along with her worried silence, it's making him nervous over what's going on.

"…Your pulse," Emi suddenly speaks up. "It is… irregular."

"Irregular?" Shino parroted. Now that she said it, his heartbeat feels irregular too. Like it is beating a little faster before slowing down.

The woman in red and white retracts her fingers away from his wrist before letting go of his hand. She then look straight to him again, albeit without the "soul examination" part and looking more concerned when she sees he remains confused. "Shino, do you… remember what happened to you yesterday?"

"Yesterday?" Shino raises an eyebrow.

"You suddenly collapsed after you gave me chocolate and heard my verdict on the flavor," revealed Emi. "You did not wake up at all for the rest of the day so I let you sleep, during which I inspected your body and soul over what made you fall unconscious," her face grimaced as she looked down briefly before resuming staring right into him. "Unfortunately, the reason as to why you collapsed is… not a good one."

"W-What? I… collapsed yesterday?" Shino got more confused, until he reminded himself that he was lying on a futon without his intention, and the sunlight outside appeared dim, as if it's morning instead of afternoon like he thought. Could it be him falling unconscious be the reason why he's puzzled over the swift change of day? "Why would I fall unconscious? What did-"

ドォクゥン ドォクゥン

H-Huh? What… What was that sound just now?

Before Shino could ask, a hacking cough interrupted him as he covered his mouth with his mouth before he lurches when the coughing increased in intensity.

"Shino!" Emi called out in increasing concern, holding him steady. Hartzler and Lynn back away, staring at him also in concern. Since they are animals, they could not do anything except only looking at him undergoing a coughing fit.

His coughing lasted for up to six seconds, ending with him retching out something that tasted like iron onto his hand. Huh? What is this horrid taste…? W-Wait, don't tell me…! Becoming nervous again, Shino releases his hand off his mouth to look at his palm. He hitched up a gasp when he sees what's on his palm.

"B… Blood?"

As he said, a splatter of blood covers his palm that was mixed with his saliva. It is crimson red in color, and a trickle of it is noticed in his mouth by Emi and her two pets.

ドドドドドドドド

Upon seeing what Shino coughed up, Emi has her mouth and eyes agape, her fear within her stomach becoming prominent as she now realized, much to her worry, what the blood from his mouth means.

"Impossible… The 「ichor」… It somehow returned."

"Ichor?" Shino turns to Emi in similar concern. "You mean… I got inflicted by it again?!"

"I have my suspicions after I examined your unconscious body, but…" Emi replied with a grim nod. "Yes. The ichor infected your body again."

At her words, Shino could only widen his eyes in shock and fear. "What? B-But…how!? You already killed Ira! And, and…! You erased every single trace of it out of my body! So how did it…!?"

"I am not sure. I am mystified on the implausible cause. But regardless of the reason why, since you got infected by the ichor, it means I must tend to you again, my beloved. Like I had done to you during our first meeting two months ago."

Hearing her, Shino realizes being cared for by Emi again means he gets to stay by her side more. He respected anyone's privacy because he doesn't want to overwhelm them so he knows when to leave them alone, and while this is true when it comes to his girlfriend, spending a lot of time together with her has become a kind of healing to him because he was rather desperate to have someone, anyone, being with him after he learned his relatives died from an accident.

Emi Lea Essence is his last chance to attain some happiness after misfortune struck him for a third time, and he hopes misfortune leave him alone for once.

Even with the prospect of being with his girlfriend at all times, the looming threat of his ichor infection is on the forefront of his mind. "…Then I'm in your care, Emi. Please… remove the ichor out of my body with your Stand, 「Bring Me to Life」."

Emi smiled at him, taking his hand and squeezing it with both her hands. "I will. I swear I will."

As was stated by Emi, she and Shino first met almost four months ago, on November 30, 2011. Fresh off being discharged from the hospital after his three year coma, it was raining that day when he was attacked by a suspicious woman named Ira. She shot him through his heart, putting him in a lot of agony that was made worse when he didn't got killed in an instant. As blood poured out from his mouth, chest and back wound, he attempted to escape her assisted by Linkin Park, only temporarily getting away from her in a span of few minutes until he collapsed when the pain becomes too much for him to bear. He would be in her mercy were it not for Emi's arrival. He didn't witness their fight because he got paralyzed, but he heard Ira taunting her niece, the sounds of their fighting before she died by being burned alive. Afterwards, he catches sight of Emi looking down on him with a passive look before he passes out.

Fortunately, he didn't die.

The next time these two met, they are in Emi's house hidden in Niji-no-Matsubara pine grove. Shino was lying in a futon with his wound having vanished after being healed by Emi's Bring Me to Life, and Emi herself arriving to the bedroom to check up on him. The moment their eyes met their own gazes, it was love at first sight. Well it's skewed more in Shino's end given he stared wide-eyed at her haunting beauty and being the most noticeable, to the point he profusely apologized to Emi when he thought she got uncomfortable by his staring, but she thankfully didn't take it too hard. Nevertheless, it was on that day that the nineteen-year-old man considered a pariah among Saga and a zombie woman, Saga's fervent protector, passing as a twenty-year-old woman found love.

Their first meeting went well, even if it's not entirely devoid of awkwardness (though that is mostly on Shino because as a teenager reaching the end of puberty, he had just realized how shy he can be when he's talking to a girl close to his age). After checking his condition, Emi informed him of what Ira did to him in her forceful attempt to make him her minion: injecting her ichor into his body that would kill him from the inside, masking as a heart disease. She further told to the freaking out Shino that she erased all traces of ichor using Bring Me to Life, citing him lucky she arrived before the ichor weakened him further to the point of no return. She has no choice but to kill him should it happen, scaring Shino more.

Speaking of that, when she mentioned how she would kill him if he did transform into a zombie, she looked hesitant and lowered her face so she's not staring into his eyes, which is the first time Shino saw a change in her near-passive face. She returned back to her emotionless demeanor before he can ask what's wrong though.

Having apologized to Shino for inadvertently pulling him into her and Ira's conflict, Emi lets him go, advising him to look after his health. That wouldn't be the last time they would meet however, as the next day saw Shino visiting Emi while she's walking with her two pets. She was a little surprised to see him, so she asks what his reason for seeing her is. His answer is simple.

"I want to know you more. Compared to others, there's something… special about you."

In other words, he wanted to be friends. And he hopes they would become more than just friends

At first, she was reluctant. For reasons only known to herself, she tried declining gently his offer of companionship, but she underestimated how stubborn, and desperate, Shino could be when he gave out more reasons why he wants to know her more, one of the reason being a worrying statement that 'he had no reason to live on after everything familiar to him is gone'. It all took Emi looking into his soul and learned how fate dealt him a bad hand due to being mostly a Stand User alienated by many people that she acquiesced to his need for companionship. In hindsight, she may had made a right choice, as she later saw Shino to be a tortured soul who probably didn't deserve such a terrible life and eventually fell in love with him, giving her answer as to what the strange feeling she felt that day when she properly first lay eyes on him, which could be love at first sight.

But it's not entirely positive.

That being said, Emi nearly forgotten the risk she's taking as she and Shino spend time with each other. For Emi, she's enamored by his drawing, colorful imagination, and even singing skills and gave pity to him over the frequent nightmares he got thanks to his stressful lifestyle and deaths of his loved ones. She had met other humans before, but none of them didn't intrigue her as much as Shino, if only because she encountered so few of them. For Shino, his hunch that she's a good empathetic person who expresses concern for Saga Prefecture endeared him because she's like her parents and senpai. Mostly her senpai. Also, he's not freaked out of her creepy looks because in his eyes, she's a living being who is her own person, in spite of being born as an undead. Other than that, he finds her oddball behavior amusing, in the same way she's intrigued of him treating her as a person.

For four months, they mingled by visiting their respective homes or toured many locales within Saga Prefecture lead by Shino. During the impromptu tour, having her experience Saga's culture or traditions made her realize that, in spite of protecting Saga for a long time, she never knew what Saga Prefecture is all about beyond her surface level knowledge. All she had done for the past 132 years is stop Ira from enacting her odious scheme and attacking the population, aided by Hartzler and Lynn who have Stands like her, to Shino's surprise. She was so focused on putting Ira back to her grave that she never considered experience firsthand what makes Saga special. Even if she tried to live like a human as told by her unknown benefactor (the bartender) one time, she never felt like living in the moment.

When Shino learned all that, he got more eager to tour Emi what's there to like about Saga, whether it be food, places, or other oddities exclusive to the prefecture.

Aside from visiting places, they talked to each other, with every successive conversation serving to grow their relationship. Even a simple talk allowed them to learn their respective flaws, strengths, wishes for the future and even their fears. Shino wanted so very much to lead a contented life with a loved one, but his sour experiences with the deaths of his parents, pet, and friend made him hesitant to try establishing contact with other people once more, while Emi wondered what's next for her when she finally completed her single objective on eliminating Ira for good, her entire existence having devoted to it for more than a century. Even to this day and their encouragement for each other, they remain doubtful.

However, they take solace that they are living in the moment being together. Eventually, on Valentine's Day, Emi made it official: she confesses her love to Shino, and for the first time, she was shy and nervous if Shino accepts her confession. Fortunately, he reciprocated her advances, having fallen in love with her at first sight, filling Emi with delight. She sealed their love by giving him chocolate much to Hartzler and Lynn's approval. Shino then made a mental note of returning her gift on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day.

After her confession, Shino and Emi's time together become romantic, greatly enjoying their presences and even started dating. It was Shino's turn to feel embarrassed again, having never thought he would dabble in a romantic love, more or less be in a relationship with a zombie woman. Making her girlfriend happy took priority in his mind however, making him determined to have them enjoy their time together more. Thankfully, it went pretty well.

If discounting Linkin Park inadvertently making people around them get in heat in response to Shino's love-struck state.

The four weeks went by uneventfully. Then on March 14, designated a holiday in Japan called White Day and one day after his birthday, Shino bought a luxury chocolate and presented it to her when she gets home. She remembered she gave him chocolate and was aware of what White Day is, so she accepted without a thought, giving out thanks to the delighted Shino. He smiled that he managed to even out Emi giving him chocolate a month ago. It seemed like the rest of their day might continue without problem…

…when all of a sudden, Shino collapsed before Emi, falling to the floor. And so that leads them to their current predicament.

With Shino becoming sick again when the ichor somehow came back, Emi gets to work burning it using Bring Me to Life. By harmlessly injecting the fire to Shino's body and turning herself invisible, she vaporized all the ichor out of his system for nearly thirty minutes. With the ichor seemingly gone, all Shino needs is to rest and hope he recovers.

However, the ichor came back once again the next day, much to Emi's shock. And to her and Shino's fear, he began feeling weak, frequently coughing that may contain blood and exhibiting symptoms of both common cold and heart disease like fatigue and chest pain. For the third time, she burned the ichor fully only it came back the day after. And each time, Shino grows weaker while his features become haggard, showing sunken eyes, almost pale skin, and a weak frame. And each time, Emi starts becoming desperate, wondering why the ichor keeps on returning in spite of erasing even a small trace of it. This would go on for nine days.

On the ninth day, Emi's ghostly formed was dispelled back to her physical form. Pulling her hands back, she, with a desperate look, announces yet another completion of ichor-burning operation. "The ichor is removed once more, my beloved."

"R…Really…?"

Wincing at his croaked tone indicating how much he had weakened, Emi strained a smile as she nods, saying, "I do not sense the ichor's presence in your body. It was quite a large amount so my Stand energy is half drained in the process, but it is gone."

There is silence between the two, then Shino replies, "Until it returns. It's… *cough* *cough* becoming a… pattern… N-Nngh… that I'm expecting it somewhat *wheezes*…"

"W-Well…! I had injected some of my energy in your body to give you strength and apply resistance to the ichor's unknown resurgence!" Emi said a little desperately. "E-Even if it returns once more, I am ready to purge it again!"

"Then how many times… will it take until… the ichor is… gone?"

"That, I… I am not sure…"

Silence permeated between the two again before Shino says more, "Well, I need to… *cough* rest… You should too, Emi. You look… tired."

"A good advice. Using Bring Me to Life to purge any infected soul has not gone on for too long before. It is making me worried, especially when the reason is still not known."

"We'll find out more tomorrow, so please take a rest."

"…Alright."

Saying good night to Shino, Emi goes over to her own futon occupied by Hartzler and Lynn. She lied down facing Shino to keep watch over him, her increasing concern still etched on her face over what's happening to Shino. After many minutes have passed, Emi and her two pets are asleep.

Shino isn't asleep yet however, as he stared up to the ceiling with a blank look. It is past midnight, and since he needs to sleep well to regain little bit of strength in him, he must focus on trying to sleep by closing his eyes and let drowsiness take over his mind and lull him to dreamland.

Even if he wanted to, he doesn't have the intention or it became too hard due to his aching body. In fact, he's deciding on staying awake all night.

"…Am I… gonna get better soon?" Shino muttered hopelessly. "Nine times the ichor was burned. And nine times it returned, and each time, my body weakens. What is happening to me? W-Why am I… inflicted with this kind of disease? And why does it keep returning no matter how many times Emi ensured to stop the ichor from returning?"

Shino stops his pondering when he sensed a presence before him. Regarding it as familiar, he sits up from his lying position to see who's looking at him.

"Linkin… Park…"

His one true companion, a psychic-spiritual manifestation of his life energy called a Stand, floats before its master with a cold expression. Shino blinked in wonder. He didn't intentionally summon Linkin Park out, meaning it must have appeared out of its own accord. That is one of the things he still doesn't get about his Stand. Whether Linkin Park has a mind of its own or not. And if it's true, is it influenced by its Stand master or has an agenda separate from him?

Emi, Hartzler and Lynn have already saw Linkin Park after they saw its arm come out. It is through them that Shino learned what Linkin Park is and what does it mean possessing a Stand. That he wasn't alone just because he has a Stand. That being said, he didn't agonized over seemingly being the only Stand User in all Saga because his deceased friend was able to see Linkin Park. It surprised him greatly, wondering what it meant being able to see his Stand at that time. Unfortunately, it might go unanswered since she is dead, and he doesn't want to dwell on that memory.

Back to Linkin Park, with heavy eyelids and fatigued body, Shino looked straight into Linkin Park's eyes to hear, or perhaps more accurately read, what the Stand has to say. It could be important if it came out this past midnight.

…

…

…

…

…

…

"What? I will… never get better?"

Shino should have been shocked over what Linkin Park told him in his mind regarding his worsening condition. His eyes did go wide but only for two seconds. With Linkin Park's words in his mind, he looked down with a shaky sigh, contemplating. "…You are so sure that the ichor inside me will never be erased… That soon, I will succumb to my 'disease' and there is nothing I can do. Does that include Emi's 「Bring Me to Life」?"

He looks up to Linkin Park again, who nodded to his question. At that, he's in disbelief. "Really? She will never… restore my health back to normal?"

"…" Linkin Park simply stared.

With that confirmation in mind again, Shino remembered what Linkin Park told him many years ago. On the day he visited Tadaaki's fresh grave to mourn his deceased pet and parents. On that memory, he becomes upset, a frown appearing on his face. "I see now… The 「fate」 that was in store for me ever since I was born… That time is now…"

He goes silent for five seconds before he lets out a hollow laugh, straightening his posture. "Hahahaha… So in the end, I couldn't escape it. My 「fate」 as dictated by Saga's 「curse」, it's going to come true… Uncaring to my true feelings regarding it, I will surely destroy Saga with you by my side…and the 「ichor」 inside me."

ドォクゥン ドォクゥン

"A-Argh!"

Upon mentioning it, Shino clutched his chest as his heart pounded against it painfully, clenching his teeth. The pain spread throughout his body like a wave, becoming fainter as it traveled far. After few seconds, the heart stopped palpitating hard, returning to its (ir)regular rhythm, so he lets go of his chest.

"Nnngh… the ichor… Is it starting to…?" Shino anxiously asked, turning back to Linkin Park.

"…"

"Oh. Guess there is no delaying it. Looks like we will do as the 「curse」says."

His anxiousness drained out of him, replaced with feelings of solemn acceptance. He slowly rises up from his futon, stopping for a moment when his feet wobbled underneath him agonizingly before it stopped, allowing him to stand up straight with a grunt. Linkin Park swerved around to float by his master's side so he wouldn't be alone until his last moments.

No matter how much he really doesn't want this, Shino has long accepted there is no hope for him. No hope of a normal life. No hope of being cured of his disease. No hope of cheating fate… He didn't have it in him to be in distress anymore. Quite honestly, he's tired. So tired of being dealt so many bad days because of Saga's curse. If he wanted to, he could try rebelling against it, even dispose it with his own two hands so he lets out every grievances and suffering back to it over the fact he was inducted into the role he didn't really want in the first place.

Right before he sets off to his final resting place, Shino looked at Emi and her two pets sleeping peacefully, fully unaware of his plans for this night. Remembering what Bring Me to Life can do, a thought came to him. If her flames are the only one that can eliminate any undead, especially those infected by Ira's ichor…

Shino's eyes widen as he realized what Emi's hidden goal possibly is. Instead of being angry and feeling betrayed by her, he could only look at his girlfriend in sympathy and sadness as his face softens.

"I'm sorry Emi… This is our last time being together. I hope you cherished the time we had, even if it's not long… Goodbye."

ドォクゥン ドォクゥン

With his eyes briefly turning red, Shino and Linkin Park vanished.

He was later seen in a beach behind the pine grove, standing before the shoreline. It was three in the morning when Emi was informed by Hartzler that Shino was not in the room. It wasn't hard to pinpoint his location when she sensed his soul, leading her, Hartzler, and Lynn to the beach.

The sky is still dark and it might be completely overcast and on the verge of raining as lightning flashes across the clouds and the darkness briefly. Emi would have ignored these as she walks straight to the lone figure in the distance… were it not for the fact that, if she's not imagining it, everything non-living things are moving fast. Way too fast.

She's seeing the overcast clouds moving faster than they normally would, accompanied by the passing wind that felt like a gale to her, and the aforementioned lightning strikes occurred in a split second, to the point she wouldn't noticed it and its similarly split second thunder if not for the flashes. What's more, the water is undulating faster than normal too, the waves forming quick and crashing against shoreline almost in an instant.

Emi has no idea what's happening and what is causing everything to accelerate too fast. She shall not concern herself with that however as she, Lynn, and Hartzler are standing close to what they believe is Shino.

In spite of their footsteps being heard, Shino didn't respond by turning around. He continues looking at the horizon, seemingly composed or relaxed. Emi is not liking how quiet he is, so she raises her voice.

"Shino?"

To their little surprise, Shino stirs from his gazing as he turns around…

ドォクゥン ドォクゥン

Emi flinches when she heard what sounds like his heartbeat, something she seems odd due to how loud it sounded. She didn't have time to think about it when she blanches in shock and horror upon seeing Shino. At this point, she and her pets are made aware of a strong smell coming from him, as well as some kind of liquid flowing around him. It doesn't sound like it came from the sea on that note.

The three stood there in silence for a few seconds before Emi slowly snaps out of it, her face replaced with the look of reluctance. For she knew the moment she saw what became of Shino, the one action she dearly wished wanted not to happen to him and her, inevitably come to pass.

"No… Shino…"

ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ

She's not sure if she should call the man before him Shino. Deny it all she wants, there is no mistaking what she's facing before her, until the sound of glass shattering in reverse is heard, particles of it manifesting behind him.

Emi takes that statement back. She is looking at Shino summoning Linkin Park… whose red eyes locked gazes at her own purple ones as he adjusts his position, unheeding of the large hole over his chest showing his beating heart and dozens of blood coating his skin, hair, face, and clothes, all flowing out from his eyes, mouth, and many wounds he might have received thanks to the ichor. Also of note is he's not in his pajamas, but instead, an elegant outfit consisting of a tailcoat, waistcoat, trousers, and boots. That set of clothes wouldn't be the last time he would wear those for this occasion.

He last opens his mouth to speak, his body lurching while his Stand gets ready to fight as time continues to blur around them, to the point it is nearly dawn. "LiNkIn… PaRk…"

To be continued

Finished.

What a chapter, huh? Never thought we would delve into Shino's backstory? Well a lot of JoJo villains have backstories explaining what made them villains in the first place. It shouldn't come as a surprise Shino would receive one, which I have planned it for a long time. I was wondering how should I depict it, and if I should split it into at least three chapters. Also, whether his backstory reveals his entire life story or what he was doing after he woke up as a zombie. If I did the latter, it may reveal a certain plot twist, of which I shall not say more for now.

As for what we had read, this chapter is entirely devoted to Shino Wakefield's past revolving around his troubled life before his presumed death. He lost his parents due to implied use of his Stand power, got relentlessly beat up by his bully, saw his dog got shot by said bully, causing Linkin Park's humanoid form to be born and deliver retribution on the bully, lost his beloved senpai and first ever friend, prompting him to commit suicide that only led him to coma for three years, waking up from said coma in time to have a chance encounter with his one true love, and then succumbing to the effects of the ichor despite having cured of the condition by Emi. All in all, Shino endured a harsh life ever since he was five-years-old…all thanks to the Curse of Saga.

I have alluded to it being a major plot point, but I must say it now: the Curse of Saga will be revealed to Franchouchou and Rianima in a later chapter. I felt the need to include it because Shino's and Emi's backstory are tied to it and not explaining their motivations and why they are doing their separate roles won't sit right to me. As such, the details of the curse will be unveiled by Kotaro Tatsumi, who you should know was informed of it by a certain bartender before the formation of Zombie Land Saga project.

While we have seen most of Shino's past that pushed him into the role of villainy, it is still incomplete. What I mean is there are few details that are not unveiled yet, meaning some of it may lack even a little context. Don't worry though! You will know what those details are in a later chapter again. At least we know aspects of his personality that were influenced by those events, such as his aversion to death of animals or pets, specifically dogs and why Sakura was being spared. This also includes time seemingly accelerating thanks to a certain priest located on the other side of the globe…

Side note: about the last section of this chapter, I wrote it entirely based on the first verse of Linkin Park's song, New Divide. When I first heard it and think back to the contents of this chapter, I realize how fitting it is to the specific part of Shino's backstory and the events occuring in it, so I included it as the ending for the chapter.

Now that we know what Shino's past is like, what will happen to our main antagonist? All I can say is that I wrote him to be radically different in certain aspects compared to previous main JoJo villains.

With that in mind, I shall see you next time. Stay safe and healthy everyone and have a good day or night!