I promise, I'll heal you

Chapter 21: Against Corps Rules

Rui’s memories returned once he was decapitated.

Flashback when he was human. He saw children his age running around and playing in the snow at his village. He wanted to join in, but the moment he tried to walk, he tripped and fell face planted onto the snow as he coughed. His mom ran towards him in worry.

Rui’s Mom: “Rui!” “Rui!”

He rolled over to face her.

Rui’s Mom: “What are you doing?” “You know you’re not supposed to be outside!”

He was a frail child ever since birth. He had never even run before since even walking was a struggle for him. Then, one night, Muzan came and offered a way for Rui to have a stronger body.

Muzan: “You pitiful thing.” “Let me save you.”

By turning him into a demon, he gained a stronger body but at the cost of never going out in the sun again and had to devour humans. His parents didn’t enjoy the fact that Rui was now killing and eating humans. His mom would often weep as she saw her own child take the lives of others, while his dad was horrified about what his son had done. He recalled a story he once had heard about how a father died while saving his drowning child, which touched him deeply on how the father had played his role perfectly meanwhile his own dad was going to try to kill while his mom didn’t do anything about it, all she'd ever done was cried at the sidelines. So he killed them. Once he did, he was sitting outside, looking up at the night sky while the bodies of his parents laid on the floor.

Rui’s mind: “They must’ve been imposters.” “The bond between us wasn’t real.”

There was a faint voice coming from his mom.

Rui’s Mom: “I’m sorry…”

Rui turned to look at her.

Rui’s mind: “It seemed like she said something?” “Could she still be alive?”

Rui’s Mom: “Sorry… for not giving you a strong, healthy body…” “I’m so sorry…”

Those words shocked Rui. As those were his mom’s final words before dying. He then realized that his dad also said something before Rui killed them, that they would be willing to die alongside Rui, but due to being driven by anger, Rui didn’t hear them. He had severed their strong bond with his own hands. He felt devastated for what he had done. When Muzan approached him again.

Muzan: “It's all your parents’ fault for refusing to accept you.” “You must be proud of this strength you have received.”

Rui was full of regret for what he did but still moved forward by creating his own “pretend family” in hopes of feeling that same feeling that his parents gave him. But it didn't work. He was too strong for others to protect and shield him. The stronger he got, the more of his memories of him as a human faded away more and more. No matter what he did, he couldn’t achieve his goal of a true strong bond.

End of Flashback.

As Rui’s head hit the ground, his body began to disintegrate as his body walked forward towards Pierce and Noi as he reached out. His disintegrating body fell right in front of the two as Pierce looked back and felt great sympathy.

Pierce’s mind: “Inside of him, there's a scent of massive sadness that he couldn’t withstand…”

Pierce gently reached out and gently laid his hand on Rui’s back as Rui watched. He felt the warmness of Pierce’s hand.

Rui’s mind: “How warm.” “A warm hand just like the sunlight.”

He finally remembered what he really wanted.