Shadow Slave

Changing Star frowned. There was a hint of surprise visible in her cold, grey eyes.

"My… goal? Isn't it obvious?"

She gestured to the slum that surrounded them and the magnificent castle towering above it.

"I'm trying to help these people. What else?"

Sunny sighed.

Then, turning his face away, he asked:

"Hey, have I ever told you about my sister?"

Nephis blinked.

"No. Why bring this up all of the sudden?"

He smiled wistfully.

"I just was reminded of her recently, so I thought I'd share. You see… our parents died when we were little. She got adopted, but I ended up on the streets. Life wasn't really sweet for me. In fact, it was nothing but unsavory and bitter. So, young as I was, I simply imagined that it was the same for her. That's why I got obsessed with the idea of finding her. I had this fantasy in my head, you know, of saving and protecting her. Becoming a family again."

Sunny grimaced.

"But how could a penniless undesirable like me find anyone? You know how the city databases are. Even if they're functional, unsealing anything requires you to be a citizen, and one of a considerable rank, too. However, I was ready to do anything to accomplish my goal. So, I saved up money. A street kid can't earn much, but even then, I saved up as much as I could."

A dark expression appeared on his face.

doing all kinds of horrid crap. And after four or five years

He smiled.

I trusted him. Or in him, at least. So I gave all my money to that guy and told him to find my

for a few moments,

Did you

glanced at the

at that time, I didn't recognize her. You see, despite my lofty ideas of being her savior, I couldn't even really remember what she looked like. There was this girl, around

silent for a while, then continued, his

was already dark. I think it was raining. The house was situated in a really nice district. They actually had the whole house to themselves. Just one family living in it, can you imagine? Well, I guess you can. Anyway… there was even

the splendor of it, his own embarrassing astonishment, and tried to smile.

and treated her well. She had real food, and enough of it to never go hungry. She had pretty clothes and expensive textbooks. She even had cute younger siblings.

looked at him and

what did you

immediately. Instead, he remembered how he just stood there, watching those happy people. How he looked down at his own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on his bloodied knuckles. And realized how utterly out of place he was in that

she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than that, returning into her life would not bring

dark and rainy night, while Sunny was standing in the shadows, something in his heart was extinguished forever. Something inside

himself in after this, nothing would really

time, he slowly backed

the first symptoms

rest

off the unpleasant memories, Sunny

the only selfless thing that I have ever done. I turned around and went away. Do you know

shook her

finally finding its way into

wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph, why is it that you, with all your

him, a deep frown

about my intention to help these people? If so, you are