"You still tired, Rin?" I asked.

"Huh?" muttered Rin. "Ah… yeah…"

He leaned against me, but quickly straightened up, blushing. "Sorry."

We walked into the monastery, and there was someone I recognized immediately. It was Fujimoto, Rin's father figure and mentor from the True Cross Order.

"Rin!" I exclaimed. "It's Fujimoto! Aren't you excited?"

"I'm going to bed," Rin grumbled, heading straight to his room. I was about to follow him, but I stopped, realizing that he wasn't going to show his true feelings in front of anyone but Fujimoto.

Fujimoto headed to Rin's room, and I slipped away to the bathroom. I could hear them talking in the hallway. Rin was definitely excited, even if he wouldn't admit it.

Later that evening, things took a turn. Shiemi and I stepped outside under umbrellas, and there was Fujimoto with Rin. He had Rin by the wrist, and Rin looked scared. Something about the scene felt familiar to me, though I couldn't place it. I listened closely to what Fujimoto was saying.

"Rin," Fujimoto said, his voice heavy with seriousness, "you need to discover for yourself whether or not your birthright really makes you 'worthless.'"

Then, he unsheathed the sword Rin always wore. Rin's eyes widened in fear as he shouted, "Don't look at me!"

His form changed instantly. I was horrified by what I saw. Rin's demonic side was unleashed—the blue flames roared around him, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur. Shiemi collapsed to her knees, dry heaving.

Rin fled into the forest.

Fujimoto turned to us, his expression somber. "That is what Rin has been hiding. The power of the son of Satan. Were you disgusted? Did you think he was terrifying?"

Suddenly, a flashback hit me. I staggered, and Shiemi caught me just before I collapsed.

I was twelve again, standing beside Rin. "I'm leaving tomorrow," he said to me.

"You can't!" I exclaimed. "Why?"

"I'm going to train in the mountains with Fujimoto."

"Rin… can I at least say goodbye?"

"Sure," he said.

Without thinking, I kissed him on the cheek. But I had forgotten we were at the True Cross Academy, and someone had seen. Mephisto had seen, which I discovered the next day.

I was summoned to a secluded area. Rin was there, and so was Mephisto.

"I saw what you did, you foolish girl," Mephisto sneered. "Do you even understand what Rin is?"

I looked over at Rin, his face filled with dread. Mephisto grabbed Rin's wrist, just like Fujimoto had today.

"R-Rin is my friend," I said resolutely.

But it was too late. The sword fell to the ground, the air filled with the sharp tang of sulfur, and Rin transformed, his flames blazing into the sky.

"R-Rin?" I whispered, falling to my knees.

He said nothing, frozen in place, overwhelmed by his transformation.

Mephisto smiled wickedly. "Isn't it terrifying? Don't you regret kissing this monster now?"

I trembled but stood my ground. "I-I am scared, but I don't regret it."

Mephisto's smile twisted into a sneer of anger. He slapped me hard, sending me flying into a nearby fence.

"Get out of here," Mephisto hissed at Rin, who had turned back into his human form. He threw the rosary at Rin's feet.

Rin looked up, his face filled with pain, but when he met my eyes, his expression softened, and he looked down again, ashamed.

Mephisto grabbed me by the hair—it was long back then—and dragged me away.

After that, I was locked away. Mephisto would visit me every day, asking the same question, "Do you regret it yet?" And every day, no matter what he did, I always answered, "No."

Rin gave me the strength to defy Mephisto. But after that, he left for the mountains without a word.

That was the end of our friendship, I thought. Rin didn't come back because he couldn't understand why I stood by him, and he was too scared of what he didn't understand.

"Shiemi!" I said, suddenly standing up.

"What?" she whispered softly.

"Where is Rin? Did he come back?"

"Rin… I never realized he was so…" she stammered.

I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Tell me where he went. If I don't find him, he won't come back."

"He went into the forest," she said, her voice barely audible.

I dashed out into the storm, searching for Rin. I found him under a tree, sitting in the rain, human again.

"Rin!" I cried.

"What?" he muttered, tears filling his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Don't you dare turn your back on me again!" I shouted.

He transformed once more. "Do you remember then? Remember this?"

I nodded, tears streaming down my face now.

"Why didn't you regret it? You knew what Mephisto would do! Are you insane? Why didn't you just tell him you hated me? That's what you really feel, right?"

"I'm not going to say something that would hurt you," I said softly. "I don't hate you, Rin. Please… come home. Don't leave me behind again."

"Lia… I was just a kid. I didn't understand—"

"You were scared of Mephisto!" I shouted back.

"Well, I didn't ask you to defend me! I didn't ask you to—" he stopped, his flames flickering out.

"Fine!" I said, exasperated. "I just wanted to be your friend. I can't force you to be my friend, though."

"Why? Why did you pick me?"

I smiled gently. "Because you were my friend. Now, will you please come home? It's cold, and I'm soaked…"

"Okay," Rin said quietly. "You're right. I'll come home."

Later that night, lying on my futon, I overheard Fujimoto and Yukio talking.

"I thought Shiemi would go after him," Shiro said.

"I'm not sure if I trust Lia," Fujimoto admitted. "But the True Cross Order might be wrong about Rin, so maybe they're wrong about her too."

"Mephisto won't be happy with this development," Shiro mused. "He despises Lia almost as much as he despises Rin."

What's wrong with Lia? Rin wondered as he lay in bed that night.

I don't understand how she can look at me like that… and not hate me. How can someone like her want to be friends with me? I don't get it. How long until she realizes how awful I am to be around?

He sighed, unable to stop thinking about me. Whether he liked it or not, I had become his new best friend.

But… is she crazy?