"Who am I?" Your dry lips quivered as you stared at your trembling hands. You don't recall anything. Not a single memory flashed in your mind no matter how hard you try. The other woman constantly called you 'Andromeda.' You questioned if that was your name. The more things you questioned, the more emptier you felt.
"Please calm down, Andromeda." You felt a pair of warm hands wrapped around yours, placing your hands back on your lap again. Your eyes met with the other woman's, and something in her eyes told you that she was hiding something from you.
"Is that my name?" You asked.
The moment you asked that, you regretted it. She seemed even more distressed.
"Yes. Your name is Andromeda." She replied gloomily.
"Why am I here?" you asked, "what happened to me?"
"You will know over time," she replied, "now is not the best time."
You paused for a moment. It seemed that even if you pressed her for more answers, she wouldn't budge.
That just leaves you to a conclusion.
You have amnesia.
"How do you feel?" The woman, Yosano, asked with sorrow lined in her voice. It was almost as if she was indirectly begging you for forgiveness. Why?
Because she couldn't save you from your memory loss?
They say memories are very precious things, and you will never know their true value until it escapes from your grasp. Perhaps that was how you felt now; strayed and pained, for who can blame you? You don't remember your family, nor your friends, nor your enemies, nor the things you cherished, nor the person you loved.
"I don't know." You replied. Your tone sounded more cold than you intended it to be. You felt her hands slipping away from yours, and you felt lost once more.
Silence filled the room, and that suffocated you even more. No answers. No clues. No one else here other than the woman beside you, but that changed when you heard a knock on the door and a door creaking open.
You whipped your head towards the direction of the sound. A tall man walked in. He had a stern expression plastered on his face, but you weren't a fool. You could easily tell that he was repressing his emotions. His metallic eyes locked with yours, and he didn't break the gaze until he got closer to your bedside.
"Andromeda. You may not recognize me, but my name is Yukichi Fukuzawa." He spoke in a rather calm tone. You had nothing else to say. What else can be said anyways?
"You used to work here," he said, catching your attention, "this is the Armed Detective Company, where the talented use their powers for good."
"I..was talented..?" You croaked.
"Very," he replied, "would you like to get out of this room and see the others?"
You pressed your lips to a thin lie and looked at the wall to your right. Emptiness filled your heart, and perhaps you have lost your ability to feel.
"If you are not ready, it is fine." The man reassured.
But you wanted to get out. You felt suffocated and trapped, but you just weren't in the right mood to deal with others. But if you don't get out, who's going to unravel the truth?
"I'm alright." You replied, swinging your legs down the bed and getting up. As you did, you grimaced at the sight of bloodied bandages on your legs. Although the bandages were new, they begin to soak with crimson liquid. It surprised you that you were still able to walk properly, but maybe you've got extraordinarily healing powers.
Yosano did not get up and insist to follow you outside the room. You followed Fukuzawa, and looked back to catch a glimpse at Yosano once more. There she sat, intertwining her fingers together, looking down with half lidded eyes. You shook your head and turned to focus on what's ahead of you.
The lights outside the room blinded you, and you catch yourself realizing you're in a different room, but this time was different. There were people here.
But who were they to you?
"ANDROMEDA?" a voice screeched, "ANDRO! YOU'RE OKAY!"
Your head was clouded with confusion as you turned to see who's the person behind that unfamiliar voice.
A female teenager with swept bangs to the side ran towards you. She wore the standard seifuku with black socks. She immediately wrapped her arms around you, making you turn stiff. You showed no reaction, and this caused the girl to slowly withdraw from you with a confused expression.
"What's wrong?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows before looking at Fukuzawa.
"Everything." You replied bluntly, taking a step backward.
"Andromeda. That's your friend. Naomi." A male voice spoke. You looked over at him, and he was just another unfamiliar person to you. He had dirty blonde hair swept to a ponytail and yellow eyes. He pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, narrowing his eyes at you suspiciously.
You turned towards 'Naomi,' and she had a hurt expression on her face. You didn't know if you should show sympathy when you knew nothing.
"I know none of you," you gritted your teeth, "I just woke up in bandages, finding myself in this place which I don't know if I should trust."
"Hey..but we are your friends.." Another voice spoke. You glared at him and studied his features. He had short blond hair and yellow eyes as well, and his face was decorated with freckles. He wore an old straw hat and loose overalls. Another unfamiliar person.
"Enough!" You screamed as your head pounded in sharp pain. You raised your hand, and suddenly, a black orb formed on the tip of your fingers.
Before the worse could occur, you felt a pair of fingers placed on the back of your head. The orb vanished, and the floor begin swirling around your feet as you lose your balance. A strong arm slipped under your waist, catching you perfectly. Your half lidded eyes turned towards your savior. He had a miserable expression plastered on his face as his narrow brown eyes gazed at yours.
"Rest." He whispered, and the sound of his voice was soothing, for your unconsciousness begin to take over you once more. The sight of him was the last thing you remembered before you fell into pit darkness.
And perhaps, that was the only man whom you did not feel unfamiliar with.
