Part 19 : Crap

"Geez.. All of that and she's gone.." Narumi said to Kazuki as they walked home. When they reached the door step, Narumi asked :

"What are we gonna eat?"

"Hey, the door's not locked." Kazuki said. As they opened the door and walked in carefully and quietly, a strong smell of good food came from the kitchen.

"Amaya?!" Kazuki exclaimed.
"Oh hi guys! You're back. Here.. I cooked dinner for you all." she said as she laid down the food on the table.

"Whu-what?" Narumi said blurly as he sat down with Kazuki.
"Why suddenly cook?" asked Kazuki.

Amaya sat next to him and put her chin on her arms on the table. "Dunno." she said, smiling.

After the meal, Kazuki put away all the plates into the basin. "Okay." he sat at the table again. "What've you got up your sleeves now?"

"Yeah, why did you walk off the library just now?" Narumi asked.

"Not that. Is this whole assassin thing bothering you?" Kazuki concernedly asked. "And so far now my curiousity is overtaking me.."

"You mean-?" Amaya asked weirdly.

"Where were you all this while after you ran away?" Kazuki said seriously.

Amaya looked at him.
Crap. This is crap stick!! All this while he didn't ask me I thought he wouldn't care to ask anymore! My gosh. How am I suppose to answer him?!

Part 18 : Secret

Amaya ran as soon as she stepped out of the library and went up on the rooftop again. She buried her head between her knees.

Why did my past have to come back again?!

Back then, she ran away after discovering of her parents' death. Similar to Kaze but just different by a bit. She was living by the streets but was taken back by the Master just about a fortnight later. Although the Master thought he had her brainwashed, she still had hope. Hope that someone out there was going throught the same exact thing. Besides, the world is so big, why not? A year after joining Sora in training, Hana became known. She killed numerous people.

Until one day when she came across an order to kill a couple. When she came, their child was with them. Hana realised : What in the world am I doing? Isn't what I'm gonna do affect the child like how it affected me? She forfeited the order and was cast out of the academy, back into the streets. She had no choice but to look for her childhood friend again.

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"What do you want?" Amaya said without even looking up. Shiro came up to the rooftop so quietly he thought not even a cat could hear him.

"Nothing." he said and sat not too far away from her. There was a long pause.

"What's wrong now?" he broke the silence.
"Big problems." Amaya said without thinking. "Since when were you a counselor??" she said moodily again.

"Just don't want you burst into pieces out of anger." he said. Amaya laughed. It tickled her to imagine a picture of her bursting into pieces. Shiro grinned slightly.
"Since when did you have that sense if humour?"she asked.
"Since you came." he blurted out.

Amaya pretended she didn't hear that. She knew he was knocking himself inside for saying that even though he didn't show it.

"You good at keeping secrets?" she asked.
"Do I even have anyone to tell it to?" he asked back. "What is it?"

"I was..." Amaya paused. She found it hard to continue. "I was an.. an.. a..." "A.. what?" Shiro asked impatiently.
"Assasin" Amaya mumbled softly.

Shiro was stunned. He didn't react but he didn't move either. Assasin? he thought.

Amaya told him everything. A to Z without missing anything out. Although she didn't mention that she was Hana. When she finished, she gave out a sigh of relieve.

"You're right. It does feel better...." she glanced at Shiro. "Buuut.... I guess it made someone a little not that better huh?"

A-assasin??!!! Shiro thought to himself. He got up and left.

Did I just over-spilled the story to him?? Amaya thought.

Part 17 : Hana

"What was all of that about?" Narumi asked Amaya when she took her seat next to him.
"Err... Confrontation-? Why?" Amaya said pecuilarly.
"That's why you disappear everytime during recess?" Kazuki asked.
"Yep." she said.

"Okay. What question was it that you wanted to ask me?" Amaya continued.
"I need you to help me solve this riddle together." Narumi said as he took a piece of paper from his bag.

"Remember the unknown mailer who sent us the riddle on Kaze?" he continued.
"Yes. What now? He sent another?" Kazuki asked. "Another assasin?"
"Here. I printed it out." Narumi pushed the piece of paper to him. Amaya, who was sitting next to him looked at it as well.

Her heart sank.

" Gentle and smooth the way she moves,
Often carrying along a blue rose,
Once you see the flower dark at night,
Never will you longer be in sight. "

"Blue rose?" Kazuki asked.

"I checked informations about the blue rose. Just in case it means anything. This is what I thought was related to this whole assasin thing. I found this blog about witnesses to the assasination cases. Seems that this assasin's been given the name Hana. She also strikes during the 'deep dark night' according to one witness, just like Kaze." Narumi explained.

"So probaly she's from the same place Kaze came about. Maybe they're related and all." Kazuki said in deep thought.
"Yeah maybe. But the blog was last updated like a year ago." Narumi said.

"Plus, they say that the victim would spot a blue rose lying on the floor or somewhere. The minute they see it, next thing they know, they're finished." he added, "People next to them only see a passing shadow and the victim falling. When they check, the victim's dead."

"Really?" Kazuki said.

"Yep. There was this case where a victim tried to fight back. The victim's wife and children were there. The wife begged Hana not to kill him. She said that were her orders and killed him of. She also said sorry to them." he continued.

"Seriously?!" Kazuki asked, shocked to think that an assasin woud actually have the heart to say that. To even THINK that.

Admist all that the two boys were saying, Amaya wasn't listening. She was thinking.

What in the world?! That was my poem!! Blue rose?! When did they have a blog like that?! Who's this stupid mailer?! This is ruining my life!! I thought I could just leave that dumb past behind.. Everything was going smoothly and then THIS MAILER HAD TO RUIN EVERYTHING!!! I can't let them know that I was Hana.. This sucks.. This has to be a dream. A terrible dream. She thought.

"Amaya?" Amaya jolted from her chair.

She turned to look at Kazuki and Narumi. They were staring at her.

"Are you okay?" Kazuki asked.
"Y-yeah. I'm going out first. S-sorry." She mumbled.

Amaya went out of the library.

"What just happened?" Narumi asked Kazuki.
"I'm not sure." Kazuki stared at the door. Amaya, what's bothering you?

Part 16 : Confrontation

For the next few days, Amaya continued to stay on the rooftop for recess. Sometimes Shiro went up to accompany her. But for this whole week, he wasn't there. Only a small note was stuck to a pole near her usual place.

"If you're gonna continue staying up here, go ahead. I'm not coming anymore." the scribbling read.

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After school the next day.

"So I guess she's gonna disappear again huh?" Narumi asked Kazuki.
"I don't know." Kazuki replied.
"Yieesshh.. Will there be no time when she's free to help me out with this super hard question?!" Narumi complained. "She's not free at home as well.."

"What question?" a voice suddenly came from their back.
"A-amaya!!" Narumi exclaimed.
"Haha.. Missing me huh?" Amaya grabbed Narumi's hand and tucked hers through his while grinning.

Kazuki put his hand on her head. "Shorty." he said with a grin. They laughed.

While walking down the stairs, they bumped into the group of bullies who teased Amaya. There was a silence for a few seconds.

To avoid trouble, Amaya pulled down her anger and by passed them. Kenji, the leader stook out his foot. Amaya tripped and fell.

"Amaya!" Kazuki ran to her. "Are you alright?"

Amaya was holding her fists very tightly. She suddenly sprang up and was about to punch Kenji in the face but she stopped at the position of nearly punching him.

She was panting.

Kenji was shocked by what Amaya nearly did. So was Kazuki and Narumi.
"Heh. Why not just go ahead and punch me?" Kenji asked.

Amaya took back her hand.
"Nah.. I don't wanna get demerit points for one stupid act. Besides," she turned to walk away. "I don't wanna make my mother cry." she said while walking away.

"Oh really? Do you even still have a mother?" teased Kenji. His other friend laughed at it. Amaya stopped.

As Kazuki was about to say something, Amaya walked back and cut him. "Well, not anymore. But if she saw me fighting, I guess she won't be so pleased right?"

"You have everything I don't have. Money, big houses, cars and a FAMILY." she said clearly and loudly. "But you know what? I have something you don't have."

"Really? And that would be-?" Kenji said.

"Three true friends and a positive thinking mind." She said with a smile. "See ya."

She turned to Narumi and said, "Wait for me in the library. I have to go find someone first."

Amaya walked away like a free person. She noticed Shiro walking her way. As she passed by him, she said softly in his ear. "Looks like I won the challenge."

They walked their way. Amaya smiling away; Shiro grinning slightly.