"Have you finished your ice cream?" Sanemi asked, a faint smile on his face as Rina scooped the last spoonful from her glass.
"Yes, I'm done, sweetheart," Rina replied with a playful wink.
Sanemi's breath hitched. A warmth, unfamiliar and overwhelming, spread through his chest.
"I didn't know we could start calling each other that." He stood up, the chair scraping against the floor. "Let's go."
They walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night air. Rina's hand slid into his, a small, trusting gesture. She leaned against him as they walked, and the simple act made his heart feel lighter than it had in years. He felt a desperate urge to protect this fragile moment, this feeling of normalcy.
"I'm requesting a ride for you to go home directly," he told her, pulling out his phone.
Rina stopped, a pout forming on her lips. "Why can't we just go together?" she asked, her face inches from his. He could smell the sweet scent of vanilla on her breath.
"You see what time it is? It's 7:30. It's not safe for a girl like you to be out here alone, okay?" The words were an honest plea from a man who now understood a different kind of danger.
"Okay, fine." She took his phone and, with a few quick taps, texted her number to her own phone. "Don't forget to text me when you get home."
"Okay, don't worry, your ride is here." As he spoke, a sedan pulled up to the curb. It felt like a royal carriage, a vehicle of safety sent to take her away from the darkness he knew was just behind him.
"Goodnight, sweetpie," she said, and leaned in, her lips finding his. The kiss was soft, a brief, gentle touch that melted his heart. He stood there, frozen, his hand rising to his lips, the phantom warmth of her touch a sweet torment. He closed his eyes, wanting to savor the feeling, but it was cut short.
His phone buzzed. A new notification, a cold, indifferent reminder from a world he had tried to forget. He opened his eyes and looked down, a wave of dread washing away the warmth. The message was a series of directions, a route he was expected to follow. Right on this street, a left down an alley, another right to a dead end. His heart pounded in his chest, a frantic drumbeat of pure terror. He knew this was no random message. He was being led.
He followed the directions like a puppet on a string, each turn leading him deeper into the city's forgotten corners. The streetlights flickered and died, and the world grew dark and silent. He found himself in a desolate warehouse district, the air thick with the smell of rust and dust. There, at the very end of the street, stood a single figure, their back to him. The stillness was more terrifying than any movement could have been.
He felt a primal urge to run, but he forced himself forward. He was now just a few feet behind the figure.
"Sanemi," the voice came, low and deep, a sound that seemed to send chills straight into his bones.
"Wait. You know my name?" he stammered, his mind reeling.
The figure didn't turn. "You were with Rina. Your girlfriend, I assume."
Sanemi's blood ran cold. The fact that this stranger knew his name, his past, and now Rina felt like a violation. "Who… are you?" he managed to ask, his voice a hoarse whisper.
The man chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. "That doesn't matter right now. I know you're asking yourself a lot of questions, but there are only a few you need to know." He finally turned, and even in the dim light, Sanemi could see a dark, shadowy mask covering his face. "First of all, congratulations on the promotion to Grade C. You have shown a certain dedication. Your last kill was noted. There is a bonus if you accomplish a task without using your power."
"Power?" Sanemi asked, his mind reeling.
"Yes." The man's voice was a flat monotone. "I believe by now you may have figured out that there are different people with different abilities. You are not the only one with a gift. There are four different types, in total. It's your job to find out."
Sanemi's head was spinning. He didn't even know his own power.
"And today, you started using the money you were given. You've now become a true member of VAbyss. I'll be watching. Your next task will be given soon. It will be 48 hours instead of 24. Good luck."
The man had said all he wanted. He turned and began to walk away, a shadow fading into the night.
"Wait!" Sanemi called, wanting him to stay, wanting answers. The man didn't stop. He simply turned his head and gave a final, chilling warning.
"One more thing before I forget: You should know that with everything you're doing, the police are watching. If you screw up, you will take the responsibilities." And then he was gone, a ghost in the dark.
Sanemi's knees felt like they were made of jelly. He fell to a nearby bench, his head in his hands. He was weak from head to toe. His mind struggled to comprehend what he had just been told. He was a part of a brutal game he didn't understand, being watched by a powerful figure, and being hunted by the police. The gentle kiss he had just shared with Rina felt a lifetime away.
He looked up at the vast, starless blackness of the sky and asked himself the questions that had haunted him since this nightmare began. What is my purpose? Why am I alive? Who are these people? What is my power? Why am I being forced to kill? Is my life really worth more than theirs? Is this a punishment for my past sins? Is this because I am the only person who can stop this? Am I truly a monster?
He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to cool himself down.
Just then, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. A new notification stared back at him, its glowing letters a final, cold pronouncement.
Task: Eliminate Mia Ivanovna. Time: 48 hours.