DEMON INSIDE [ ✓ ] | Bungou Stray Dogs

xv

"A-Akemi," I looked at the girl who was held in the arms of two red-eyed creatures behind the Akemi earlier. I turned to the Akemi, "Belloc, what did you do to Akemi?"

Her lips formed a wide smile that is just too agitating to see. I can feel my breathing getting heavier and heavier.

"I didn't do anything to her. I still love my life. You know what I mean?" I only stared at her as she laughed. I don't want to talk to her. Just seeing her face makes me want to tear her into pieces. "Oh, have you forgotten?"

She stopped smiling and acted as if she was surprised.

"How can you forget the night where you killed someone? A Pure one, killing someone. That's the best. Night. Ever!"

"Hand over Akemi to me right now, Belloc," I said.

"What if I don't want to? Tell me about it first... The night when you went berserk and killed your precious friend."

"I didn't kill her! I didn't kill anyone on that night!"

"Liar! Then how can you explain the death of my mother?! The hunter's tribe are now extinct as well as the Pure. At that time, there was only you from both clans. A mere gifted person can't kill my Mother!"

"Okay, alright! I killed her. Happy? Now give Akemi to me in an instant."

"I thought you never killed anyone."

"I never killed anyone or someone but I did kill something," I said. "I never considered your Mom and the Reds human."

"And so are you! You think you can avoid it? Did you know why the war between the Pure and Reds lasted for a very long time? Because both sides were drinking it. How ironic, your clan is called Pure but you aren't."

"You're wrong."

"You only say that because you have been strong since you were born. You don't need human blood and flesh to get stronger."

"We didn't need it! We have our gift so that we can protect other people."

"You tried to prove that to my Mom, aren't you? But what happened? You, yourself, failed to do that. You know that you are the reason why those kids from the orphanage died, right? Because you failed to protect them."

The memory of that night flashed before my sight. My Aunt wants me to remove the seal that's been holding back a very dangerous creature. I didn't want to do that because I promised to my Mother that I'll never do that. She taught me how to bind it so I could bind it forever.

But I don't want to do that. I don't want to because I don't have any idea on what may happen. Everytime I refuse, an innocent life will always pay for it. I didn't know about that because they always died due to natural causes, as long as it's not unusual. I was only a kid at that time, I didn't have enough knowledge.

I only noticed the truth when finally, there were only two orphans left. Me and the only friend I have.

She also possesses a gift. A gift wherein she can play music that will make every one who listens do what she please. I'll never forget how beautiful the song was at the beginning but as it prolonged, it slowly turned into a cursed verse. From its sweet melodies it turned into a painful one.

I tried to stop her but if she did, she'd die. However, when she didn't stop, she still lost her life. My body moved on its own that night. I grabbed the flute she was playing and stabbed it on her body multiple times. I never meant to kill her.

When I realized what I did, I put the blame on my Aunt. I was thinking that it was all her fault. That's why... I took away her life, too.

She's right. I failed to prove that I can't protect someone. I will never be able to do that, as long as I have this ability with me and as long as I'm alive.

"And you failed once again," she said, which made me snap out of my thoughts. My eyebrows furrowed on what she said.

"What do you mean?"

"If you're planning to put the blame on us for what happened the night when there were blotches everywhere, you really are the worst," my eyes widened on what she said. "We didn't kill anybody on that night. We only scared a few and those are the ones who were confined in the hospital."

Does it mean... Was it really me?

But when I heard that it has an eye similar to a ghoul, I knew it wasn't me. I never looked like that and the Pure clan doesn't look like that.

"It was you, (Y/N). You cannot protect anybody because you're only leading them to their own deaths. You killed those who died that night-well, not all of them but probably most-and I'm sure that you devoured them, too. How can you keep yourself awake at night for the past few days without being tempted by the snake and can still walk around and have fun while not thinking about the poor human beings you feasted on?"

"Then when you lose your consciousness in the hospital? It isn't really fatigue, isn't it? It was because the demon inside you had awakened. Good thing that the Detective Agency have someone who can nullify it but sure, it took him some time," she added.

My mind can't function properly right now. Hot liquid starts to build up on my eyes now as I start to completely understand what I have done.

I am protecting other people from myself.

No matter how I try to bury it, no matter how many times I try to stop it. I'll never be able to do that because I can't change who I am.

"Seems like the guy you were supposed to meet tonight is already here. We shall take our leave, then. Here," they threw Akemi at me. "You know about the special occasion next month, right? Good luck on trying to stop us-or should I say on making our job easier?"