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 of this, by the time I was nearly seventeen, I finally had enough to hire

He smiled.

gather information for him. His services weren't cheap, but I trusted him. Or in him, at least. So I gave all my money to that guy and

for a few moments, then asked in a quiet

happened? Did

glanced at the sky, and

terminal. Only 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,

silent for a while, then continued, his voice

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 a lawn. And a window… a big window that shined light outside. Watching them

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

She had real food, and enough of it to never go hungry. She had pretty clothes and expensive textbooks. She even had

looked at him and

did

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

that she… she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than that, returning into her life would not bring anything good to her. He didn't have anything pleasant or beneficial to offer. He could

there on that dark and rainy night, while

of situation he would find himself in after this, nothing would

long time, he slowly backed

showing the first

the rest was

off the unpleasant memories, Sunny pretended

the only selfless thing that I have ever done. I turned

shook

finding its way into his

to realize that the person he wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please

at him, a deep frown appearing on her

lied about my intention