The Masks we Wear

Chapter 0 - Prologue

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

~

For as long as I could remember I've seen white. The same white walls. The same white meals. The same white clothes.  Having spent 14 years in that place it would be completely normal to assume that I would've come to resent that place. And that said resentment would've been my reason for my escape. But I don't feel such a way. In fact I don't think I can bring my self to feel any thing at all in regards to that place. My reason for leaving that place came not of resentment but of desire.

I had an inherent desire for freedom in my life. To see and taste the blowing winds and the heat of the sun on my skin.  And above all else I desired normalcy or at least what I believed was considered to be normalcy.

I wanted to know- to understand what it meant to be a normal person my age. Experiencing and understanding what it means to love, to care, to feel.

I wanted to know what it felt like to experience normal- everyday hardships, to worry about things like high school instead of whether or not I would make it to see the next day.

All that desire had spent years bottling up, a aurora within waiting to escape. It only made sense that when an opportunity came around, I would take it.

~

?/?/2015

It was a rather odd evening that day. That man had left earlier that day due to an apparent breakthrough that needed his immediate attention. Shortly afterwards Matsuo hurriedly sat me down with a rather nervous expression painted on his face as he addressed me.

"Kiyotaka, listen to me right now. I need you to be honest and completely thorough with me."

My interest was immediately piqued from his rather desperate tone, with my interest at a high I nodded to signal for him to continue.

"Do you have any desire at all to leave the white room?"

I felt my eyebrows raise at the strange question. Most of our prior conversations had been spent conversing about various miscellaneous topics with him on some occasion sharing stories about his own son who was about my age.

The sudden question felt very odd.

"I don't understand." I felt myself say

"I recall you once told me you wished to know what it was like to lead a normal life correct? A powerful man has given me- no you an opportunity to have that chance right now Kiyotaka." He said as he clasped his hands together.

"You need only say the word right here and now Kiyotaka and we can take that chance. Or if you happy and alright where you are now then simply say so and we will never speak about this again."

I felt myself freeze upon hearing his words.

Analysing his tense expression and movements it was clear he was very serious about this. I've also known him long enough to understand that he would never make light of such topics as this which meant this was a genuine chance for me to receive what I've desired for so long.

And so without another second of hesitation, those words escaped my lips. Upon hearing them Matsuo's expression immediately lightened as he took my hand and led me forwards to my new life.

~

Upon reaching our destination in Yongen-Jaya, Shibuya I exited the car as I closely observed the house right next to us. It was a rather quaint home with 2 stories. Matsuo had been relatively during the drive here from the mansion, asking that I rest during the trip to save energy for 'introductions'.