FLASHBACKS"Azazel, you're here!"I gleefully smiled while running up to him. We're both inside the nearest park, just two blocks away from my street."Oh, hi," he smiled as I sat beside him on one of the park's benches.The view in front of us is breathtaking, with a beautiful sunset illuminating the pristine lake below, creating the ideal ambiance for the two of us."The sunset today is more vibrant than usual," Azazel told while I hugged my knees and nodded. I know how he's fond of sunsets."Yeah, reminds us of someone sometimes." I said while my gaze was fixed on the scenery.Azazel nodded, keeping his gaze on the fiery sunset."Does it remind you of her?" I asked, expecting that certain answer, preparing myself for it."Yeah," he bitterly admitted, followed by silence.A melancholic smile formed on my face as I nodded slowly."It's been five years, Fiona is gone." I muttered while picking up the flowers on the side of the benches."Yeah," Azazel said, followed by silence. "I miss
Five days have passed.I'm inside Araoluwa's mansion. It was like Regio's. I have my own room, daily meals served, basic needs, etc.And most of all, I'm back in Araoluwa.Right now, I'm laying down on my bed, just staring at the ceiling while mourning Azazel's death since today is the day of his funeral."Allura, are you ready?" Amanda asked as she knocked on my door.I just nodded, even if it was the complete opposite.I exited my room and followed Amanda downstairs, where I saw Raven, Goro, and the other members, all dressed in formal black attire, waiting in the living room.All of us then went inside the car, with Raven driving, Goro in the shotgun seat, and Amanda in the backseat with me."Allura," Amanda softly called me.Allura didn't hear Amanda call her as she was too busy staring outside the window, and she soon then blinked back to reality and looked at her."O-oh sorry, what was that?""I'm sorry, I'll just give you more time. I was just about to ask you if you needed any
"Allura, Good morning! Are you comfortable in your new room?"Amanda smiled at me as I entered the dining hall with the other members."Hi, good morning, and yeah." I merely smiled as I sat beside her.Everyone at the dinner table was just talking and eating, peacefully sharing laughs and conversation. I smiled, thinking how similar it was to Regio yet so different, but I shook my head, trying to forget about them.I can't help but wonder what they're up to now. After all, it's been more than five days and they're still in silence. I heard no updates or anything, and it's starting to worry me.As they say, silence is dangerous."I miss this. Although a lot has changed here, as long as the same people are here, it's still the same." Amanda smiled as I faced her."Yeah, even though I wasn't really a part of Araoluwa, hearing stories from Azazel about you all made my anger about crimes subside at least. You made me feel like I was really a part of it. You never left me out." I replied, n
"Good morning, Callista!"The morning dew, melancholy violin music, and birds chirping in the side alley set the tone for the small village named Callista, which is one of Japan's villages inside a district, a rural area. A village where many people celebrate happy occasions with endless tables of food, remnants of memories from festivals that bring every villager's heart closer, families bond with smiles and laughter, crystal clear lakes and ponds that serve as tourists who feed fishes, with the perfect weather, blue skies, and clouds that almost never get dark when it's night time, perfect scenery of the sunrise and sunset, just the perfect serene of Village Callista.One place always stands out, and it's the main church in this village.Every weekend, holy mass is held, and the majority of people attend with their hearts closer to their saints, gods, and beliefs, causing money to flow quickly.The church is regarded as the most beautiful place in the Village of Callista, and it is
It's now the next day after your birthday, and it's Saturday, meaning, it's the weekend. There was a mass, and people greeted the pastor as they were leaving the church, and the mass ended just a few minutes ago. "Good morning, father." "Greetings, bless you." People left the church as soon as the mass had ended, but some stayed to send more prayers and meditate. Me, my father, and my mother smiled as they walked through the church entrance, bidding goodbye to the people who had attended the mass, and I stood behind my mother in my white floral dress, shying away from the crowd while hiding behind her. "Thank you so much, Family Marin, especially Fernando Marin. Such a lovely family, may God bless you." The people said as they praised the three of us. "Thank you for attending this Saturday's mass as well." My parents bowed. My father nudged me to bow, which I immediately obeyed. I bowed as my gaze fell to the floor, and I remained there until I heard footsteps walking into the c
6 years later..."Good night, Callista!"Six years have passed since I met the six boys, and my mother shouted a greeting as I replied back with a smile. Everything was still the same, the church was renovated just a bit, still a peaceful village, and everything was fine, yet my father wasn't still there for my birthdays in my fifteen years in life, so I got used to itTomorrow is my sixteenth birthday."Good night, ma!" I shouted."Night, I'll leave you here in the church for a while, okay?" My mother said as she kissed my forehead and exited the church. I just sighed and got used to being left alone in the church, to the point where the darkness and eerie atmosphere no longer frightened me.I felt my eyes slowly drift off as I lean my head on the pew until I heard footsteps and my eyes shot open."Who's there?!" I stood up and checked the surroundings in the church."Allura," a voice called and my heart almost dropped, until I saw Zacharias."Zach, it's you. You scared me." I huffed
A few days passed, and the church was painfully quiet, the place was getting dirty. The holy mass is still held, yet both of my parents are absent, and I had to be the one attending.My mother is in the church's room, which is also considered a confession room, on the second floor all day. Even in the past few days, I felt worried every minute. I have to walk from my house to the church to knock on the door and bring her food every day.One time, I caught her creaking the door open, but her eyes widened as she saw me standing just outside with a tray of food, and my heart cracked as I saw her appearance; she has a black eye, bruises everywhere, fuzzy hair, dark circles under her eyes, and she was extremely thin."M-Mama..." I sobbed as I put the tray of food on the floor and hugged her."What did papa do to you?" I cried while wrapping my arms around her waist."Allura, I'm sorry. Callista, baby. Let me call you that... I'm sorry, Callista, come back." She said with a hoarse, cracked
"Marry...? That's ridiculous." My smile kept as I read the letter once again."Is that even possible for me?" I whispered while my smile faded."It's forbidden, everything I do is forbidden."I inhaled deeply as I folded the paper and stuffed it into my pockets, but my attention was drawn to the one spot in the chapel where the lights were swiftly flickering.I was about to fix the lights until I heard my mother call me, which caused me to remember that I'll still be checking on her."Callista!" My ears perked up as a ringing voice in my ears jolted that made me remember that my mother is inside the room."Ah, yeah, I almost forgot. I'm coming!" I shouted as I rose up from the pew and headed down the church's second-floor balcony to check on my mother after entering the narrow stairwell."Ma, what do you ne-" I said as I opened the door, but my eyes widened and my stomach dropped at what I saw."MA!" I shrieked as I knelt down beside her unconscious body on the floor. She has cuts all