"Wait, Mayu!" I called out and ran for the closing door. It closed in my face before I could reach it and I jerked it open only to be welcomed by the sight of an empty balcony and the peaceful chirps of birds. She was gone.

I let out a breath and went back inside my apartment, closing the door behind me before falling down to a slump leaning my back on the door. I could not believe what Mayu had told me. If what she said was true... then she and Luna shouldn't have emotions. I cringed at the thought as a flash of Luna's face crossed my mind. So she didn't love me after all. It was all an act? A sudden wave of sadness fell over me and I shook my head in frustration.

I pulled myself together and got off the floor looking up at the time. I was supposed to be at school but I had missed it again. School seemed like the bottom of my priorities with everything going on right now. I turned on the television and sat down looking at the screen but not really watching. I was piecing together everything Mayu had told me in my head.

Hours passed and I sat there staring mindlessly at the flicker of images projected by the television. The news was still talking about the massacre in the warehouse but police have refused to answer questions. I yawned and continued to think about the situation. Luna was an Ashen. Ashens are supersoldiers enhanced by their lack of emotions and creation through the lab via genetic engineering. Luna had escaped from the project. Mayu and Ichiro were Ashens sent by the project to retrieve her... And then it hit me. Luna was in grave danger.

I shot up from my sit shocked by the discovery. I had to help her. I grabbed my keys and left the apartment. I didn't know where she was and I didn't know how I could help her but I knew one person I could rely on.

I arrived at Eiji's apartment. I knocked on the door loudly and waited impatiently.

"Eiji!" I cried. "Open the door!"

I knocked again and heard the sounds of shuffling from within the door. Within a few moments, the door swung open to reveal a confused looking Eiji.

"Ryo?" He asked confused. "Where were you? You haven't been to school in ages..."

"Look, there's something I need to tell you." I said in a rush. "Can I come in?"

I didn't wait for an answer and brushed myself past him and into his apartment. Eiji closed the door behind me and sat with me at the table.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He knew that whatever it was I had to tell him, it was serious.

I took a breath. "It's Luna."

He looked at me and I looked back at him.

"What is it...?" Eiji asked in a cautious tone. "Did you..."

He paused.

"What?" I asked.

"She's not pregnant, is she?" Eiji finished.

I looked at him with a hysterical look on my face. "W-what? No!"

Eiji let out a breath of relief and laughed. "If it's not that then everything is good then I suppose."

"No Eiji, you've got to hear me out," I said and he stopped laughing. I tried to think of the right words to say. "Luna... is not human."

Eiji's face broke out again and he resumed laughing. "Come on, Ryo. Who do you take me for? I've known you for years. You expect me to believe that?"

"No, Eiji seriously." I pressed on a bit frustrated. I knew this was going to be hard to explain.

Eiji gave me a second chance and tried to be serious once again as I told him the whole story of what Mayu had told me. When I had finished, he was silent and there was a sudden solemn atmosphere in the air.

"If what you said is true..." Eiji finally broke the silence. "Then you need to go straight to the police. They'll find the right authorities to handle this."

I sighed. "Won't you listening? Project Ashens is a highly classified military operative that practically no one in Japan know about. Even if I go to the police they'll never believe me."

"You should still tell the police. It is their job to investigate every case taken to them seriously." Eiji said. "They'll know if the story is true if they can study Luna."

I grimaced and Eiji noticed my reaction.

"You..." Eiji said. "You want to protect Luna?"

I paused for a second. "Yes." I answered firmly.

Eiji stared at me silently thinking about everything I had told him before sighing. "Fine but I still don't believe your story. It is simply unbelievable. Until I see with my very own eyes what super human powers Luna have, I can't take you completely seriously."

"Eiji-"

"I'm sorry, Ryo but you can't expect me to believe everything you said without showing me some proof." Eiji stated.

I hesitated and realised I had nothing to prove anything I said at all except for my words.

"But you are still my best friend after all." Eiji continued. "And I can come with you if you want, to find Luna so I can see this whole ordeal myself."

I nodded my head and with that, we left Eiji's apartment together in search of Luna. We tried the warehouse where I had met Ichiro for the first time and to the house that Luna had claimed was hers but both places were empty and the sky was beginning to darken when we arrived back at my apartment to see if Luna had come back.

She hadn't. Eiji sighed and sat down at the kotatsu table with me. We were both exhausted from the search but Eiji was still determined to help me find Luna.

"Where could she be..." Eiji mumbled to himself silently as he stared out the window.

I tried to think of where Luna could be but nothing came to mind besides the places we had already searched. I flipped my phone from my pocket out of boredom and was surprised to realise I had received two text messages.

Had a nightmare that I was kidnapped and you saved me! I even woke up with a sore neck. Miss you haha and going to the cinemas with you was super fun. Really want to do something like that again, give me a call if you're not busy!

Yumi

"Someone's having fun." Eiji said peeking over my screen.

"W-we're just friends." I muttered embarrassed as I pulled the phone away from his sight to read the second message.

This is Luna.

My heart stopped.

This is Luna. I'm at Akane's place. Come see me.

unknown

I swallowed and looked up at Eiji. He had resumed to staring blankly out at the window still thinking about where Luna was. This was it. I was sure this was Luna messaging me. I did not have Luna's number on my phone but I knew she had mine. It seemed obvious now. She could not return back to my apartment now that Mayu knew where I lived so she went to Akane's place.

"Eiji." I said. He was still blankly staring at the window. "Eiji!"

"What?" He shook his head and regained focus, looking at me.

"I know where Luna is." I said. "She's at Akane's place."

We had run out of my apartment and now stood panting in front of Akane's house. We looked at each other and nodded. Luna was here. I could see lights on inside the house. We walked up to the doorstep and I hesitated for a second before knocking on the door.

The door creaked open and an eye stared from the small opening at us. It was a dull violet colour and I instinctively knew it was Luna.

"Luna!" I said and the door swung wide open.

A figure swept forward and I heard Eiji let out a muffled cry before he collapsed onto the floor unconscious. Luna stood over his body nonchalantly, looked at me and frowned.

"Why did you bring him here?" Luna asked, her dull violet eyes gazed into mine. She had knocked Eiji unconscious without so much as a blink of her eye.

"We're here to help you." I said angrily. "Mayu told me everything."

"Oh...?" Luna questioned, her eyes didn't falter at my declaration and suddenly I felt uncertain.

"What did you do to Eiji?" I asked looking down at my friend.

"Just made him sleep for a bit." Luna replied. "It was a punch to the solar plexus."

I grimaced and pulled Eiji's body up to lean onto me.

"And what did she tell you?" Luna asked.

"She told me about Project Ashens." I said.

"Is that all?"

I looked at her but she refused to let me in without an answer.

"Yes..." I replied.

Luna smiled at my answer. "Come in."