1 Chapter 1: The Photo

Eijun worked in a small workshop when he overheard some people talk about something recently in the city. They spoke about how a big company was taken out again. It wasn't the first time this had happened.

"I heard the person wears a black fox mask."

"Can you even call it a person with those black wings and those hands?"

Big companies have been target by the said person or thing.

"Sawamura-kun, you heard about it, right?" One of the men that were gossiping like teenage girls asked.

"I'm not interested in something like that." That was a lie, but it was something strangers didn't need to know about.

Eijun was a quiet person who didn't speak up much and didn't want to have relationships with people.

The door to the workshop bell was heard, and a familiar person to Eijun entered the shop.

"Eijun-kun, are you almost finished?" It was the youngest son of the shopkeeper that Eijun worked for. He came by often to see Eijun rather than the father.

"He should be done now." The father answered.

"Good, then let's go home and have lunch. Brother is waiting for us."

Eijun didn't have a choice as the guy dragged him along. Even though Eijun didn't want to build relationships with people, it was hard when they were forceful.

They arrived at Haruichi's home and saw that his older brother had already finished making the food for them.

"Your mom's not here today?" Eijun asked.

"She had something to do with her friends, so it's just us today."

Haruichi led Eijun to the table.

"Thanks for having me," Eijun said.

Ryosuke brought the food to the table for them.

They haven't known each other long, but the two brothers act friendly toward him, even their parents. Haruichi was the first one to speak to Eijun when he came to the shop one day with his mother. They were dropping something off for the father, and Haruichi wanted to know what kind of job his father did.

Haruichi saw somebody that was his age and wanted to be his friend. Eijun ignored him, but the pink-haired boy didn't give up and tried to speak to him every time he came in.

There was a mystery about Eijun, and Haruichi could tell that the boy didn't want to be close. Haruichi even came with his older brother to see Eijun.

One day things changed when Eijun noticed the annoying boy didn't come at the same time. It was not like he was worried or anything, but it didn't feel right, so Eijun went looking for him. Eijun found the owner's son getting beat up. Eijun manages to interfere while beating them up as fast as possible.

Haruichi was amazed by Eijun's fighting skills. Haruichi thought that Eijun didn't care about him, and he even helped him.

Eijun helped Haruichi home and even help patch his injuries.

That's how they became close friends.

___________________

After Eijun had lunch with the brothers, the young man headed home. Eijun had things that he had to deal with.

Eijun lived in a small apartment that was good for a one-person like himself. His home was small, had one bed and bathroom and a kitchen with a living room. Eijun didn't sleep in his room much but in the living room since he was constantly researching.

The young man didn't know much about himself besides his name. The only thing he found was a photo of himself when he was little, maybe around ten, with six other boys around his age or older.

Eijun didn't know who they were, but it looked like they somebody he needed to find out. The other clue was a document with experiments and the people behind it.

"The next target is Oracle Hotel." Eijun picked up the black fox mask that was put aside.

The hotel was hosting a party, and Eijun had gotten in as a waiter for the party.

Many people were attending the party.

Eijun was handing drinks to the crowd.

The young man noticed some police in the crowd. He expected something like this since the last target. Eijun doesn't kill his target only puts them in place and gets them arrested for their wrongdoings.

"Ryo-san, I'm glad you could come tonight." Eijun was surprised when he saw a familiar face in the crowd.

"Why is Haruichi's brother here?"

Eijun was shocked but didn't approach Ryosuke, who was talking to one of the police officers. Eijun was in disguise with the waiter's black and white look and a pair of black glasses. Even so, Eijun didn't want to get too close to Haruichi's brother, or he might recognize him. The young man could always lie if the man spotted him, but he was planning something here, so he didn't want Ryosuke involved.

Something unexpected happened the lights in the hotel went out, and people were in a panic. Suddenly a scream was heard and there on the ground was a dead body.

Eijun did not expect this. The man he was targeting was the chairman of Oracle, and he was dead on the floor.

The young man realizes somebody was behind this. He senses something, so Eijun disappeared from inside and made his way to the top of the roof. He put on the black fox mask. In his hand, a sharp knife appeared.

He looked around for whoever killed the chairman.

"I knew you would find me." Eijun stopped dead in his track when somebody came jumping down, almost crashing into Eijun, but the young man dodged it.

A man with blond hair and blue eyes appeared. He has a grin on his face. The blond was enjoying this for some reason.

As Eijun was wondering who this person was, it clicked in his head. This is one of the kids from the photo.

"I didn't think I would end up meeting you like this." He spoke.

"What?"

"Ei-chan."

"Who are you?" Eijun asked more like demanded.

"It looks like what they said about you forgetting everything is true." The blond started to laugh. "Let me reintroduce myself then. I am Narumiya Mei." The said person then charged in and attacked Eijun with a similar knife in his hand.

The two started attacking each other.

"It's no fun when your head is thinking while we fight."

Mei then charged his knife to where Eijun's mask was and pulled it away, making it drop to the ground. The blade made a scratch on Eijun's right cheek.

"It's nice to see your face, but I'm sorry that I ruined it." The man laughed.

"What is your aim by killing that man?"

"Aren't you doing the same thing?" Mei backfired at Eijun.

"It's not the same."

"That's right. You're the same naïve boy who can't kill."

Eijun was having a hard time dealing with Mei as his attacks were getting blocks. Eijun had no choice, and then he made his black wings appear, and his eyes turned golden.

"Yes. You were the only one who had been fully experimented on." There was a sad look on the blond's face for a moment.

Mei jumped back, far away from Eijun.

"Looks like I have to say goodbye to you now."

Mei then jumped up to a different building and had disappeared, leaving Eijun there alone.

There were more things that Eijun needed to know, and the answers would be finding these kids who he used to know but has no memories of.

Eijun wanted why he couldn't remember any of these.

"That guy knew who I was, yet I couldn't remember anything about him."

Eijun saw from the rooftop that police had arrived at the scene. That one officer must have called since he was the only one there. He felt terrible for the people dealing with this, but he had more things to deal with.

Eijun grabbed his fox mask and flew away from the building and to his home.

___________________

Mei went to the place he was staying at. He was called back in the middle of fighting Eijun. The blond was annoyed, but he had to follow orders from his leader.

"So he is alive." The person who was with Mei spoke. His face was hidden behind the shadow.

"Why did you call me back?" Mei asked.

"It wasn't the right time to fully take him on."

"Kazuya, why are you…" Mei didn't finish his sentence when he saw the look on the man's face.

"He's not ready yet."

The man then went silent, and memories flow into his mind.

That night they were attacked, and Eijun's father died from protecting everybody. Eijun didn't want to leave the body of his dead father, but Kazuya didn't wish Eijun to have the same fate, so he forces Eijun out with him.

The place with filled with fire, even outside. They were nearly out with the other kids. Kazuya made sure that Eijun was in front since he was an essential person to them.

They were almost out when a massive fire came making Kazuya push Eijun away. After that, Eijun couldn't see his friends anywhere. He called out to them many times.

"I'll come to look for you. I promise." Kazuya yelled before the fire overtook everything, and Eijun couldn't even hear his friend's voice anymore.

Kazuya was angry at himself that he wasn't there for Eijun all these years. The man was mad he wasn't able to grow up with them and be there with him.

"Mei, next time, don't do things on your own." The blond didn't know that Kazuya had found out.

Kazuya left the room, leaving Mei there to think things through.

Mei wanted to see Eijun again and be with him longer. He's still the same as Mei remembered. He felt people would take advantage of him since he is too naïve.

The sound of the door opening was heard.

"I saw Kazuya come out of this room. I didn't think you were too."

"Akira, what are you doing here?"

"I was just curious why the leader had an awful look on his face."

"Is that so?"

"So I'm guessing you went against orders."

"It happened by chance. I know all I did need to kill that man, but then Eijun appeared on the rooftop. It was hard not to reveal myself. I know he doesn't remember but even so."

"How did it feel about fighting him?" Akira asked.

"He's strong but weak too." Mei knew that Eijun never wanted to fight, even when they were younger.

"Next time, listen to Kazuya and don't reveal yourself. It's what's best for all of us. Until we can get everything ready."

Mei didn't understand it and probably would never. The blond felt he couldn't follow the order and want to see Eijun again.

Mei remembers their past and thinks of how Eijun was always there for him. When he got hurt, Eijun would always be there to heal his pain.

What Mei hated the most was when a tall man came and took Eijun away to some room. It was an experiment they all had to deal with, but for Eijun, it took longer to come out. When he came out, it looked as if nothing was wrong.

They were all wrong when Eijun started getting all these painful powers that he couldn't control.

It was only years later when they found out what was happening. After they got separated from the fire and started searching for Eijun, the truth was revealed.

Mei saw Akira was wearing his outside jacket.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked.

"Yes. Unlike some people, I have some work to do." Akira said as he walked out of the room.

_________________

The next day Eijun couldn't focus on his work that Haruichi noticed when he visited his friend. Eijun was busy thinking about the blond guy who called himself Narumiya Mei. A person he should know but has no memories of.

"Are you okay?" Haruichi asked, worried.

"It's nothing." Eijun didn't want to worry others with problems that they couldn't know about.

Haruichi continued to watch Eijun work. Even though it looked like there was a lot on Eijun's mind, the young man still got his job done and never disappointed the customers, including his father.

"How did you get that scratch on your cheek?"

"Scratch?"

"The one on your right."

Haruichi took out his phone and showed it to Eijun. The young man was surprised, but he knew where this had happened.

"It was my fight with that guy."

His work shift was over, and Haruichi was waiting for Eijun to get off so that they could have lunch together.

At first, Eijun didn't like the idea of hanging with Haruichi all the time, but now he was used to it all.

"I've noticed this, but am I the only one you hang out with."

"Maybe because you are the only friend I have," Eijun admitted it, and this made Haruichi looked surprised, making him feel bad.

"It's not something to feel bad about. I like being alone, but then again, I like hanging out with you too." Eijun smiled.

Haruichi was shocked because he is sure this was the first time Eijun smiled at him like that. A genuine smile, not the fake ones.

The pink-haired young man realizes just how much they have grown as friends, and that made him happy.

As the two were walking down the street, the two passed a stranger. He had black hair while his one eye was covered, but you could still see his eyes. When they passed each other, Eijun suddenly stood still in his spot.

Eijun turned around, but the stranger wasn't there anymore.

"Is something wrong?" Haruichi asked.

"It's nothing."

The two friends continued their way.

On a high rooftop, that very stranger looked at Eijun as he was hanging out with his friend.

"It seems like your having a peaceful life here," Akira smirked.