"Before I could have, no even then, I pulled away from you. It's silly, but I still love Yuhi. Even though it was a redemption journey, I just came back from it only to have the same answer as I did in the beginning."

"I have always known that. That you love him, and that your journey was meaningless. I do not wish to hear your response. Rather I will emphasize this now, never respond to him. Find a way to brush it off."

"Lucifer...."

"I shall become your subst.i.tute. Anytime you wish, I shall whisk you away. You shall always have an alternative."

Ryuuji-kun was telling her the same thing, wasn't he? She is sure those two...as well. If they ever meet and cross paths again, they will say her the same, using different words, yet the meanings will be the same. She wants to tell them to stop, to not give up opportunities for other loves. But at this stage, at this age - it's clear they aren't going to change their minds.

Four people..in the end, four were left behind. Despite her attempts, four people, or is it five? Senpai's expression when she came back no when she showed up that time, and his son found her. This is yet another crime, another sin on her shoulders.

Lilchan, she is envious. 'You already know who it is you, love, even with others professing their love to you.'

Her daughter is so strong. If, 'I made my choice earlier. If I was actually in love with Yuhi then maybe something would be different.

….

'Everyone is alone. Everyone is empty. People no longer need others. You can always find a spare for any replacement. Relations.h.i.+ps are replaceable. I got bored with a world like that. But for some reason, the thought that someone other than you might kill me never occurred to me. Say, what do you think, Sumire? After this, will you be able to find a replacement for me.'

Ah, so this is what that man meant. That's right; in the end, she will always be like this. No matter how much time pa.s.ses, no matter how much time pa.s.ses by, there's always one thing that will remain the same. Even if she tries to hold it back, the second she enjoyed the battle, her rationality vanishes. 

'Listen to me complaining; most people would crave to have it the strength to protect themselves and others around them.'

But having strength isn't all fun and games. At the end of the day, society is unfair. Those that stand on the top and people whose strength has surpa.s.sed the norm. Surpa.s.s even those who are abnormal like themselves feel it, the solitude and loneliness. 

'That man is right even though admitting that is taking everything for me. Admitting that his words are right made me sick. But ever since you left, there has been no one else who can cure this boredom of hers. Even the case with Lucifer ended up being mere child's play.'

The world has become dull.

"Don't get too full of yourself! Men fire!"

She heard the sound of gunshots from all directions, and yet she leaped into the air and dodged them, she merely sighs. "Let's think about this rationally, shall we? If you guys can aim that thing at me, then I would have long gotten hit, no?" Sumire pointed out.

She was getting tired of this already.

"Don't get c.o.c.ky little girl. Don't underestimate the Yakuza. Do you think this is mere fun and games?"

She sighs, so they didn't heed her warning, huh? Well, she expected that too. But fun and games, huh?

Sumire stopped using her ribbon and put it away and leaped back down. The firing was still going on, but there was already no need for her to try and dodge gracefully. Those bullets won't reach her. As she approached the man, she noticed him beginning to cower away in fear. But he suddenly grabbed something from the corner. 

"Another bat?"

The man pulled off the end, revealing a silver blade. "You're just a little girl. Our boss said to try not to harm you as much as possible. But you've proven to be more stubborn than imagined. Prepare yourself."

In other words, they are saying she is not as weak as they thought. My my, people need to be more honest and direct when it comes to what they are thinking. 

It is useless to lie when the truth is right in front of why. Why bother playing with the notion of imagination when the reality is in front of you? Understanding why these people do what they do is something she was never good at. 

Even when she found out the reason she could never understand it. Sumire avoided every strike. So persistence and aggressive too.

Lilchan, this world is anything but beautiful.

But she never wanted her daughter to come to that conclusion. She never wanted any of her children to see the same darkness as her. 'It's fine if I am the only one who experiences this.'

Unknown to Sumire, those people did not just kidnap one. But the same went for her other children.

__

New York - A warehouse by the harbor - 5:00 PM

Lila regretted it now. 'Why did I have to take a morning walk in the forest of all places?' But when she learned there was such a place here in New York, she wanted to explore. The place her kidnappers brought her to was a warehouse by the sea.

Her gaze fell on her stomach. She has to escape here. If it were in the past, she would have played along but not anymore.

She debated about what to do until her kidnappers approached her. It all happened in a flash.

Haruka, what does she do? She just hurt five people badly. The one in the center, the supposed 'leader', was injured the most. That person was the one who was the most eager in trying to do her. When he got rid of her blouse, hands were all over her in a matter of seconds. But the direct contact with her skin sent him falling backward. 

The same applied to the other guy who held her down, followed by three others.

"S—she's dangerous! What the heck?"

"I thought she was the sheltered one in her family with the weak const.i.tution?"

"c.r.a.p, what on earth is this? Will my hand go back to normal?" 

The three panicked and looked at their injuries with distressed expressions on their faces.

Ah, is that why they did this? Lila sighed. What a pathetic excuse. How dare they kidnap a pregnant woman?

"Don't back down. Sophia said she would offer you guys her services if you did well. If you don't want it, I will take it." The gruff man with the scruffy-looking face said.