Bound By Shadows

Chapter 6: A Past Too Painful TW: Violence

Kazuyaki Yagasaki sat in the large, circular bathtub, his muscles relaxing for the first time in weeks. The steaming water was scented with subtle hints of lavender, its surface dotted with frothy bubbles. One of the silent, tongueless workers sat beside him, methodically washing his back with gentle, practised motions. Despite their lack of speech, the workers had developed their own intricate hand language, something Kazuyaki had picked up on during his time in captivity. It was the only way they communicated—silent, efficient, and hauntingly precise.

The worker's hands paused, making a series of quick gestures, their eyes meeting Kazuyaki's as they spoke.

"You've been here a long time, Yagasaki. Seen more than most."

Kazuyaki nodded slowly, his golden eyes dull, still heavy with exhaustion.

"Yeah, but you've been here longer, right?" He tilted his head, genuinely curious. The workers, with their eerie stillness and mask-like faces, had always intrigued him.

The worker's fingers moved again, slower this time, as if dredging up memories from a forgotten past.

"We were here before Red. Before Blue. Back when Black was in charge. Everything was different then."

Kazuyaki frowned slightly, wiping the steam from his face.

"Black? Who's that?"

The worker's eyes dimmed, as though haunted by the name. Their hands moved swiftly as they responded.

"Black was the original leader of the S60. He kept things orderly, structured. It wasn't like the chaos you see now. Back then, the kill count wasn't just some sick joke to decide who leads. It was everything. Whoever had the highest count ruled, but they were... worthy."

Kazuyaki leaned forward, intrigued.

"So, Red wasn't always the leader?"

"No," the worker signed, their gestures growing more animated. "When Black disappeared—no one knows how or why—the leadership fell into disarray. Red was chosen because he's the eldest. But it wasn't supposed to be like this. The S60 has lost its way."

Kazuyaki couldn't help but notice the glint of bitterness in the worker's eyes, though they quickly masked it.

"He just... disappeared?" Kazuyaki asked, trying to imagine someone with that much power vanishing without a trace.

The worker nodded, dipping a hand into the soapy water, swirling it around before continuing.

"One day he was gone. Some say he abandoned us. Others think he was killed. But no one talks about it openly. Too dangerous."

Before Kazuyaki could probe further, a sound from down the hallway pierced the tranquility of the moment—a scream, loud and raw, shattering the quiet.

Kazuyaki tensed immediately, recognizing the voice. It was Blue. He strained to hear, his heart beating faster as the worker beside him stilled, their hands hovering uncertainty above the water.

"WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU DIDN'T KILL THEM!" Blue's voice was filled with fury, but it wavered—cracked—as if she was on the verge of breaking down. It wasn't the usual anger that Kazuyaki had come to expect from her. This was something far deeper, something that felt like pain tearing through her.

The worker shifted uncomfortably, clearly wanting to avoid whatever conflict was unfolding. Kazuyaki, however, couldn't stop himself from listening. He had never heard Blue like this before.