Chapter 1 — The Conditions Accepted

Today is the second anniversary of their death.

"You're probably just waiting for me to join you, aren't you?" I say quietly, embarrassed about the fact that I still talk to them.

Am I completely crazy??

Secretly, I was really hoping to join them. My despair has been there all this time. It is not just now that I am realising how much I screwed up everything.

Today the sky looks even more beautiful. This sunset is full of colors that no longer make me happy, even though I know those were her favorite.

That's why I'm here now.

I am sitting on the top of some ruins, as I watch the sky and think about them.

About her and him.

I imagine them with a smile on their faces. It's too cowardly of me to want to remember them like that, because everything else is just too painful for me.

I feel that way, but I know I have no right to. Not after all I've done.

"I promise I'll join you two soo-" and that's it. I don't remember finishing that sentence. Not after the next event.

Suddenly, I feel coldness that overwhelms me. A strange feeling and discomfort.

I don't like this feeling at all.

In the next second, a tall being is standing in front of me. Just judging by his look, I would say that he is a normal young male, but...

That's definitely not what he is.

This kind of appearance cannot possibly be a human being. He looks barely my age. Early 20s or even younger, I'd say. Light skin and black hair that somewhat hides his dark gray eyes that look almost lifeless. Dead if possible?

Besides looking creepy and cruel, he is beautiful. Frighteningly beautiful. For a few seconds I don't know how to react. And then I try to move, but I can't. I try to speak, but I can't. That's when he finally says something.

"I see... Being that desperate, aren't you? You humans are sometimes so interesting." He says in a voice that I cannot even describe. It feels impossible.

"What the hell are you?" I finally succeeded to say.

"Good point. I'm most certainly not directly from hell, 'cause you can't come back from there, but it's not like you are actually going to listen to me even if I answer that question. Am I correct? Oh and I am Domino by the way."

He sounds so scary and cool at the same time. He is probably younger than me, but also more mature in some wild, weird way? I have no idea if that's possible, but that was my first impression of him.

"I don't understand..." I say without even realising how scared I was.

"Oh my... You tried to kill yourself? Really? That's what are you going to do? End it like that? Just tell me, what would they think about ending things this soon? Hmm, Rayal?" This time he says so many confusing things at once... My brain just can't process it all. How does he know my name? He mentioned 'them' and I fear that I might know who he is talking about.

"Kill myself-" I repeat and look at my hand automatically.

There's a knife in my right hand. It's ironic because I'm left-handed. I immediately dropped the knife in fear. I wasn't even aware of how far I had gone. I see blood dripping. Dark red blood drips from my hand. There is a lot of blood. Did I cut myself? When? Why don't I remember that?

"Yeah... So now it's all on you. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you don't have much time. Let's solve this problem now. Do you want to live and try to save them? Or do you want to be the same coward for the second time and tempt the fate and see will you meet them in heaven or hell?

He basically asks me if I want to die now or later. Simple as that.

"I... I don't want to die..." I say as I feel more and more the consequences of what I have done. Pain and blood pouring out. I feel my hand throbbing. There is more and more blood, which makes me even more nervous. I don't know if I'm really going to die.

"Good decision, because I don't want you to die now either. You are too precious. But there are just some stuff you should know before agreeing to this contract. There are two conditions that are of big importance. First: you-"

And that's it. I dont remember hearing him anymore.

Was that a dream?

Right now, I don't feel anything. That seemed like unbearable pain until a few moments ago and yet... Am I dead? Maybe I'll actually join them after all.

"Sorry to keep you waiting..." I think I said that out loud this time. Not sure.

"Rayal?" I heard a deep voice calling my name.

...

"Hey, Rayal?" I heard someone again, but this time much louder and somehow more clearly.

"Are you asleep... again?"

I finally recognized this voice. Firm and very clear voice. I haven't heard it in the last two years. I missed this sound.

It's Tairu.