The next time Akira woke up, he found himself in a strange predicament.

His head hurt all over and the water dripping down his head didn’t help. He tried moving his hands only to find out that he couldn’t. He had been tied to a steel chair with his hands bound behind his back.

‘Uh oh..’

It seemed that he had found himself in a precarious situation. His last memories were ones of him walking to the subway. He had taken his usual shortcut and was ambushed from behind.

‘I knew I should have left as soon I felt something weird was going on..well no time for regrets now…’ he thought as he kept trying to break free from his bondage to no avail.

With nothing else to do, he looked around to see where he was. The colors on the walls had faded and there were big machines all around him. It was apparent that he was in some sort of an abandoned factory or warehouse judging by the state of disrepair or ruin the tools or machines were in.

A numbness was spreading all over his body and he was starting to feel cold.

‘...Okay..this is getting creepy..’

He had no idea who his mystery kidnapper was or even what their motive was. One thing he was sure about was that it was not about money. The most likely motive was revenge.

Over the years, Akira had manipulated, blackmailed and played with the feelings of many people. First he thought of the ones who had tried hindering him some way, these were the ones that he had crushed completely.

None of them looked interested in revenge by the time he was done with them, in fact they didn’t look interested in anything after that so chances of it being any one of these people being the kidnapper was low.

Next group was ones he had leverage on, Akira had developed good observation skills when he was young. During his early days, he had been a lonely boy and with no friends to play with, he had developed some interesting hobbies.

One such hobby was getting to a high vantage point in crowded places and observing people. Now this might seem like a creepy hobby, maybe it was but this was something he did at that time as he was very confused.

His parents had passed away in an unfortunate accident leaving him all alone with no to fend for except himself. His parents had known he was different and that something was “wrong” with him but nonetheless they accepted him which was something he is grateful for till this day.

[flashback]

A young boy seated next to a window can be seen. Outside the window a multitude of people had gathered wearing black dresses. The atmosphere surrounding them was grim and gloomy.

The death of the 70 year old Minato Fujiwara was a sad occasion and people had gathered for his funeral ceremony.

The young boy sitting inside the house was none other than Akira, the grandson of Minato Fujiwara. He was observing the people with his grey eyes and was realising something important about himself.

The people outside were crying or shedding tears and looked sad when grieving but Akira was not feeling anything. Now if he had been distant with his grandfather this wouldn’t seem strange but he had been very close with him and his mother had told him that his grandfather loved him very much.

Akira still didn’t understand what love was but he had only nodded back then. He was a little pissed that he couldn’t go out to play today but he complied because he didn’t want to upset his mother.

‘Why are they crying?’ he thought as he looked at the people crying.

‘I know Jii-chan is sleeping and he will never wake up but you don’t see me crying. Oka-san said only weak people cry when I hurt myself, but I will prove her wrong. I don’t feel sad at all..’ A tiny smile formed on his face at the thought of his mother praising him.

He loved hearing praises especially from his mother. His parents called him a little ‘geni’ something whenever he did something good quickly and while he didn’t like being called little, he liked the second word even if he didn’t know what it was.

He wouldn’t tell that to his parents though as what sort of geni would he be if he didn’t know the meaning of that word…

It was late by the time all the people left and the house had turned into a mess.

His father plopped down on the couch as he was exhausted after the entire ordeal. “Akira go help your mother out in cleaning the house and while you are at it, get me a soda from the refrigerator.” he ordered him from the couch.

Trying to sound like his grandfather, Akira cleared his throat and said, “Get off the couch and get to work you lazy bum!!”

He failed of course but his father’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at him before letting out a small laugh. He picked Akira by his shoulder and brought him towards his chest. He ruffled his shiny hair before patting it gently.

Akira liked the feeling but he said, “Don’t ruin my wonderful hair you oaf.” and freed himself from his father’s hold.

He had heard his mother say that to his father when he was drying her hair once so he used it. He had developed a strange habit of imitating others and did that frequently. He heard his father call him a tsundere from the back but he didn’t care.

He made his way towards the kitchen to complete his task given to him by his father. He didn’t want to do it but he was a good boy so he would do it.

‘Was that what Otou-san meant by a tsundere?’

He found his mother in the kitchen preparing to put rice in the cooker. He went up to her and started tugging her clothes. Noticing that, his mother turned to look at him. Seeing it was him, she asked, “Ara~ its you Akira..what's the matter? Did you need something?”

“Do you need any help, Ka-san?” he asked.

She seemed surprised at the request and quickly put the rice in and wiped her hands on her apron, she knelt down and said with a smile, “Oh?...little Aki wants to help his mother huh? How strange..?”

“I am not little!!” Akira replied with anger.

His mother raises her brow, “Eh..are you sure? Just a few days ago, I had asked for your help for some chores but do you remember what you had said back then?”

“You had said I am too young for manual labor,”

Akira had an embarrassed expression on his face. It was as his mother said,he had indeed told her that. He was too lazy to remove weeds in his backyard and that had been his excuse.

“Don’t worry Akira, you will always be a little boy in my eyes. I am happy you want to help your mother but I don’t need it now, so go get your dad his soda.”

Now that he had been busted, he didn’t waste any time before quickly leaving the room after getting the soda.

…

It was late at night and his mother was cleaning his ears with a cotton swab and he was lying on her lap.

His father had already gone to sleep as he had to get up early.

“Oka-san~” he began.

“What is it?” she asked.

“..Why was everyone crying and sad today?” he asked curiously. He was indeed curious as he was puzzled seeing them all cry.

“Akira...your grandfather is gone now...and you won’t see him for a long time, don’t you feel sad about it?”

“Nope~ I am a strong boy Oka-san, and strong boys don’t cry..” he replied with a smile.

His mother sighs and starts caressing his hair gently. “Tell me Akira, what did you feel when you learnt that your grandpa is not waking up?”

“I didn’t feel anything?” he answers, tilting his head slightly.

His mother stared at him with worry in her eyes as though something she feared had come true.

“Really? You don’t feel anything knowing your grandpa won’t be with you again?” she asks, her tone more serious now.

“I really don’t feel anything Oka-san. Why? Is something wrong with me?” he asks, getting scared at the thought of something being wrong with him.

“No Akira, nothing is wrong with you, who even told you that?”

“Hmmm.. it was ba-chan who told me that before she went to sleep like jii-chan. She said I was empty. Is it true oka-san?”

His mother had a weird expression on her face which Akira couldn’t make out, she asked desperation apparent in her voice, “ Eto...she was wrong Aki-kun...tell me would you feel sad if I...if I also went to sleep forever?”

“Eh...are you going to go away t0o Oka-san!! No...I don’t want that” Akira starts panicking as he really didn’t want his mother to leave.

“..No Akira I am not going anywhere, I was just asking you if...but tell me what do you feel when you think of me going away..” She calmed him down and looked him in the eyes.

“Um….I would feel sad if you leave me Oka-san but….when I think about it, I..I don’t feel anything...I-Is something wrong with me Ka-san?” he asks, hesitant to see the expression on his mother’s face.

His mother doesn’t reply for a while and just before Akira is about to say something, he feels a pair of arms enveloping him and pulling him into a hug.

He sees tears dripping down his mother's face, he gently wipes them and asks her what’s wrong.

“Its--its nothing Akira,...I want you to remember that I..no We will always love you no matter what you do...Love is a wonderful emotion and I hope you get to feel it one day…”

Akira didn’t understand what she said but he liked the hug and fell asleep in her arms thinking of her last words.

The very next week his parents met with the accident and Akira lost something.

[flashback end]

‘The pain must be getting to me’ Akira thought. It seemed the injury to the head was more serious than he thought and he was in a state of half-consciousness. He also felt his body to be strangely numb and it had increased in potency from a while ago

His eyes widened as he came to the conclusion.‘Fuck..they drugged me.’

No wonder he felt like shit. He never dreamed so seeing flashbacks was surprising. As he was wondering about his next action, he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching.

He couldn’t quite tell where it was coming from as it was echoing all over the place.

“Oh~ you are finally awake?” A voice said startling Akira as he looked around to find the source.

A figure stepped out from the shadows and approached Akira. He squinted his eyes to see clearly. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness but it was still too dark for him to make out anything.

When his eyes landed on the person, he was shocked. It was a woman dressed in a skirt. What shocked him were her eyes, he could almost see the madness in it. Her hair was a dark shade of black and it was in a messy state as though it had not been combed in a long time.

“Do you recognize me Akira-kun~?” she asks.

He looks at her closely and tries to recall anyone with her features when his eyes widen.

“You...are Akane?” he lets out.

Akane was one of his early girlfriends he had dated when he was in college. She had lasted longer than others and he had been with her for over a year. She had been madly in love with him and had not taken it well when he left her after he was bored.

Regardless to say she had not taken that well.

“So..you remember me huh? For the longest time I thought there was something lacking in myself when you abandoned me but now I know your true colours.”

She pulled out a photo and pointed it at his face. “Do you remember her I wonder?”

Akira looked at the photo and was surprised to find that it was another girl he had broken up with. Akane kept showing him more photos and each was some girl he had left.

“..You bastard toyed with not only me but all these girls as well..I realized after finding out about them it was not me who was lacking something but it was you who lacked a heart. You are a heartless monster..” Akane said looking at him with unhidden contempt.

Akira noticed the madness swirling in her eyes and knew he would not be getting out unsctathed today.

‘..Oh shit I do not like that look in her eyes, I have to get out of here...first I have to make her lose composure, she is clearly insane..shouldn’t be too hard to rile her up’ he thought.

Showing her his charming smile, he says, “..Ah Akane-chan, it has been a long time since I saw you, don’t you think it's a perfect reunion? Tell you what, remove these ropes and let me free...we will go to a good restaurant, have some nice dinner and then we could try this in a...well cleaner place preferably a hotel. You seemed to have picked up some new kinks over the years..and I would love to try it.”

*Slap* a crisp sound rings in his ears as his head turns. Akane had slapped him.

“You-you bastard, how can you still be like this!!”

Akira’s eyes turn sharp but he still replies, the smile still on his face, “You know me darling..I am someone who believes in ‘a smile a day keeps the hater away’”

His eyes widen when he sees Akane bring out an electric baton. ‘Oh fuck, this is bad’

To his surprise, Akane also replies with a smile, her smile far more malicious, “ Ah~ Akira-kun, I wonder if you will keep smiling after I play with you~”

She brings the brown rod near him and turns it on which makes its ends light up and a crackling noise is heard.

With a smile on her face,she touches Akira’s arm with the lit rod.

“Ugh..” Akira grits his teeth as he feels a sharp intense pain all over his body. The chair starts shaking as his body trembles under the high voltage running through it.

“Oh~ did it hurt Akira-kun?”Akane asks with a pout.

“Okay next question, did you know Aoi-san killed herself after you left?”

He was surprised as he indeed didn’t know that but not like he cared anyway.

“Nope~” he answers calmly.

“Surely even you must feel anything hearing about that? Tell me Akira-kun how do you feel now that you know a girl killed herself for you?” Akane asks and giggles while holding the baton near his mouth like a mike.

The pain had lessened and he replied with a smile, “Do you really want to know what I feel Akane-chan?”

She nods.

“I do feel something hearing about her death.”

“How do you feel?”

“I feel amused...amused by the fact that you even bothered asking me that question, I couldn’t care less if she died or not hahaha”

Akane was not expecting this answer and seemed stunned.

Akira continued, “My hands are tied at the moment so there’s nothing I can do if you can’t comprehend what I said. Were I free I would have shown you a few gestures showing how I really cared..”

“Besides those who kill themselves are weak minded sheep who can’t face reality and decide to end it when their brains can’t come with delusions to deny reality.”

“I see now.” Akane replied, her tone being dull and calm now.

“..You don’t feel anything so I have no choice but to let your body feel all the pain you caused...hahaha~”

….

[A few hours later]

Akira was still tied to the chair but his condition had worsened. His breathing was ragged and his body felt numb all over. His shirt had been removed and his chest was bare with purple bruises covering it.

Blood was dripping from his fingernails slowly and was forming a tiny puddle below the chair.

“...WHY DON'T YOU JUST BREAK!!” his tormentor screams as she strikes him for the umpteenth time and a crack sound is heard.

‘I think she broke a rib now..hehehe’ Akira is feeling delirious now and the pain was messing with him.

Akane on the other hand was exhausted and was feeling hot rage at not being able to see Akira suffer.

She had wanted to hear him scream. He did scream but it was more of a reaction than him screaming out of fear like she wanted.

She had wanted to see him reduced to tears, begging for forgiveness.

..But he was still smiling and could give back quick remarks. She hated it, she hated that arrogant smile of his. She hated him to the core.

“You are a sinner why DON”T YOU FEEL ANYTHING!!!”

“Hahahaha….you really are naive Akane-chan, calling me a sinner of all things...hahaha. What is a sin? Committing a sin means one deserves death, that is only the weaklings' naive and helpless expectation, they spread such ideology, hoping people would abide by it so as to protect these weaklings. As for me, I want to be a person who commits a sin, yet is able to roam freely and travel the world.”

“Power is all that matters..Look at me, I have the power and will to do anything I want and I do whatever I want so naturally I am at the top but take a look at yourself. You are just a mad woman trying to find excuses for your failure, Aoi killed herself because her mind couldn’t form more delusions but it seems your mind is stronger as you are still in your own delusions…”

Akane feels everything go quiet and the only emotion she feels is pure unadulterated rage as she rushes at him but just before she is about to reach him, she sees him smile triumphantly.

‘Ha..I did it.’ he thought as he saw her rushing towards him, he kicked his legs hard against the stone floor making the chair shake and as soon as she reached him, he turned around and fell back crushing her with the chair.

He somehow managed to hook the rope binding him on the end of the baton she was holding and tugged hard, finally breaking free.

He limped forward as pain shot up his leg, she had hit his legs quite a few times and mostly broken a few bones there.

Still skipping on one leg, he tries to reach the door at the end of the room when….

*puchi*

It was a knife, a knife was embedded in his back as he felt the world slow down.

….

Akane was shocked by the turn of events but fortunately she had come prepared. She pulled out her pocket knife and stabbed Akira in the back as he was limping towards the exit.

But to her surprise, he turned back and limped towards the chair. She approached him from behind but it was then that he struck

…

The sound of the chair colliding with her face was symphony to his ears. Seeing the knife embedded in his back, Akira realised the chances of him living were almost gone.

He was angry, very angry but anger didn’t make him ballistic like most other people but instead his anger made him calm. His anger was a cold type that tore through all resistances.

He was scared of death as much as the next person but he was trying not to worry about it now as he had to kill her. That was his only goal at that moment.

He picked the chair up again and smashed it on her face again.

“Ahhh….!!!” she screamed as her head started bleeding and she collapsed on the floor.

He folded the chair next and holding its legs in his hands, he placed the other end on her neck and pushed down.

….

Feeling her throat being crushed by the chair, Akane struggled to break free, she flailed her arms trying to break free but failed.

She looked up and what she witnessed nearly made her give up all resistance. It was his eyes. His grey eyes were cold and hollow, they were gazing at her not even looking at her as a human.

Fear was starting to take hold as she trembled and tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

As much as she hated him, she still valued her life and didn’t want to die.

‘I don’t want to die...not like this...please..’

A smile appeared on his face as even he noticed her fear and saw the tear droplets around her eyes.

“Oh~ are you scared now Akira-chan? As much as I would love to hear you scream, I am running short of time and you know as they say ‘Don’t think so much when killing people’ hahaha..cough..”

And so Akane felt the world grow hazy and her last moments were spent in fear and regret.

…

“Ha…..ha…” Akira was panting hard after finishing her off. After seeing her dead, he didn’t waste time and rushed to the exit. He had not lost hope yet and would try his best to live.

The adrenaline keeping him active wore out at the worst moment and all the pain came rushing back making him collapse on the floor.

‘No...no I can’t die, I WON’T DIE..I will LIVE…’

“AHhhhGh..” he used his hurting arms and pulled himself forward. Somehow managing to get up through sheer will, he crawled towards the door.

His vision started getting blurry and as soon as he arrived outside, he collapsed again.

“Ha..so this is how I die huh..” he whispered looking at the bright moon shining.

“The moon looks beautiful…”

*thud* his head hits the floor as those are the last words he could get out before darkness filled his vision.