𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐨 𝐔𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 | 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐮 𝐌. 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 28: I've Always Known

!! Trigger Warning: Mentions of rape and pedophilia !!

"Hey, kids?" the woman piped up. Asahi and Shoko looked at her. A small smile played on her lips. It didn't look friendly, but rather sadistic. "I know where they are." this statement left the two teenagers dumbfounded. Shoko stumbled on her words and Asahi stayed silent. He took initiative to speak first while his girlfriend tried to find the right way to respond. "You mean...you know where your child is?" he asked. The woman nodded and her smiled widened.

"I've known for a long time. I just needed a plan. It didn't take me that long to come up with a plan, actually, I just needed to build up courage. And having both of you come here and take care of me every evening gave me that courage." the woman stood up. Her head had been slightly bowed down, so the two couldn't see her face. But now, they could clearly see the tears rolling down her cheeks. Asahi stood up as well, but Shoko remained seated. She merely stared up at the woman, unsure of what to say. The woman looked at her and sighed. Slowly, she held Shoko's hand and pulled her up to her feet. Shoko stumbled slightly. She immediately scrambled to stand next to her boyfriend, finding comfort in his presence. "You two have become very dear to me. You helped me overcome my fears and become stronger. Now, I know exactly what I have to do, and it's all thanks to you kids!" the woman cried happily.

But then, a sad smile made its way onto her face. More tears filled her eyes. She hurriedly rubbed her hand over her face, trying to wipe away the tears. "However, I'm afraid that carrying out this plan may result in my death." Shoko and Asahi completely froze at those words.

"What...do you mean?" Shoko's voice came out as a shaky whisper. "The person who kidnapped my Y/N-chan is...very dangerous. I know it. They might kill me." the woman answered. Asahi pursed his lips. He took Shoko's hand into his gently, providing her with the little comfort he could. He looked back at the woman with wide eyes. "We...don't want that." he mumbled. The woman smiled gently at them both. This gentleness. She had felt it before. She had felt it from her own child. Asahi and Shoko reminded her so much of Y/N. More tears welled up in her eyes the longer she looked at the two teenagers. They were such sweet children. So caring.

The woman reached her arms out. She wrapped each arm around Shoko's and Asahi's back and pulled them closer to her. It reminded her about how she used to hug Y/N. The two teenagers couldn't form a single word. Tears suddenly started to well up in Shoko's eyes. For the first time, she felt the warmth of a mother. Asahi frowned sadly. Slowly, both of them took their time to wrap their own arms around the woman. The three embraced each other like a family. "Thank you so much for everything. You two have taken care of me, and I began to see you like my own children. I...love you both." the woman whispered sweetly into their ears. This was too much for Shoko, and she allowed tears to dribble down her face. Asahi clutched the woman tighter.

After a few more seconds, they let go of each other. "By the way, my name is Mizuki L/N. What are your names?" the woman, Mizuki, asked. "I'm Asahi Koube. And she's Shoko Hida." Asahi answered for Shoko since she couldn't really form competent sentences due to how emotional she was feeling. Mizuki gently took each of their hands in both of hers and closed her eyes. "Let me say a vow. To tell you how much I appreciate you." she said, squeezing their hands lightly.

"In sickness and in health, through the happiest moments and the saddest moments in life, for richer and for poorer. Until death does me away, I promise I will keep you both in my heart."

Mizuki L/N. Raped when she was only 16. Her parents never consoled her or even offered her support through her tears. They deemed her 'filthy'. They arranged for her to marry her rapist, since they thought she was too useless and impure to do anything else with her life. The poor woman lived in a repetitive hell of torture, abuse, and rape. And one day, to her horror, she found out she was pregnant. She didn't want to give birth to a child that came from her rapist.

But her parents forced her to have the child. "There is nothing left for you but to become a mother. Fulfill your womanly duties." they had said to her coldly. Mizuki gave birth and was relieved to find that most of the child's features resembled her. But their eyes were the color of her rapist's. Despite this, she loved the child unconditionally for ten wistful years. However, once the child turned 10, Mizuki noticed that her 'husband' was eyeing the child much more. Her blood ran cold. She could not subject the innocent child to the torture she had to endure. And so, she mustered up all her courage to make her child leave. She knew she couldn't overpower her 'husband' and protect her child, so she thought the safest option was to leave her child alone until she could escape the house, find them again, and live a quiet life with them.

However, it took longer than expected. Five years longer. After those long, excruciating years of hell, the rapist finally died due to alcohol poisoning. She could finally be free. But she didn't feel happy. She couldn't forgive herself for leaving her child all alone in a cruel world of despair and impurities. And so, Mizuki devoted herself into finding her darling Y/N, whether dead or alive. She found them! But they had been kept by a girl. A girl who seemed to care about them. Personally, she was relieved that her child was alive and seemed to have been cared for, but there was no way she was going to allow that girl to just keep her child to herself.

Mizuki hoped with all her heart that the girl was just taking care of Y/N because they didn't have a home. She hoped that she would give Y/N back to her. She hoped she wouldn't have to resort to violence. All she wanted, all she needed was her child. Her blessing. Her moon. Her Y/N.

"This week. This week will be when I get my dear Y/N-chan back. But it might also be when I die. Either way, I wish both of you well." Mizuki said to Shoko and Asahi. She let go of their hands and began walking away. Shoko, still in tears, clenched her fists and glared down at the ground. She knew exactly who the kidnapper of her child was. Resentment grew in her heart. Without completely thinking things through, Shoko raised her head and shouted in Mizuki's direction. "Miss Mizuki! Please don't be scared anymore! Please go and save Y/N! And please...please keep yourself safe!" her voice cracked and she slapped a hand over her mouth. Choked sobs and whimpers escaped through the gaps of her fingers. Asahi immediately comforted her, rubbing her back and whispering consoling things into her ear. Mizuki only watched. A quiet sigh left her lips. She whipped her head back around and faced the path ahead of her. "I don't know what will become of me. But I can guarantee that I will save my child." she stated confidently.