Alone On the Ship

The Smoke

It was the second day, only the second day, and two people were already dead. Nio has been injured, but refused to say who her attacker was.

"Forgiveness doesn't matter! We need to find out who did this to you!" Zino argued.

Despite it, Nio wouldn't budge. She promoted her church to the group, but only saw Iago, Kazuki, and Airi become a part of it.

"We're already doing better than I thought." Nio said.

"We are five people." Zino said.

"Five out of twenty-eight." Nio replied with a smile.

–––

Yumi walked about the ship. She was scared of dying, but felt that she had an advantage over everyone else. She saw Shugo walk to the showers and curiously followed him. He took out a knife and placed it on the counter, sighing as he took his shirt off.

"Um... Shugo...?" She said with a soft, nervous voice.

He turned around, immediately throwing his shirt back on out of courtesy.

"I'm scared..."

Although he didn't know Yumi, he wanted to help her. He couldn't stand seeing her in a terrified and helpless state.

"Sure." He replied with a smile, and he hugged her.

Yumi smiled and stayed close to his embrace. She felt warmth radiating off of him, and it made her feel safe.

"Hey... It's alright." Shugo said.

Yumi looked up at him, tearing up. He gazed at the scar that ran down the left side of her face, and his smile faded.

"What happened?" He asked. "With the scar..."

Yumi stared at him, then looked away.

"I... I..."

He stroked her hair.

"It's okay, take a deep breath."

Yumi nodded.

"I was abused when I was younger... By the time I was five, my mother starting cutting me..." Yumi said. "When I was eight, she did that... I had to get surgery from someone they hired in order to replace my eye, because she cut into it... It made me blind in my left eye, but I can see now because of my new one. Though it still hurts... It hurts a lot..."

Shugo felt as if the world was still. Even if he looked in a mirror, he could only imagine seeing her scarred face.

"I'm so sorry..." He said, resting his hand on her left cheek.

She flinched for a second, but soon rubbed his hand with her cheek.

"What happened to your parents?"

Yumi looked down and refused to speak.

"Yumi...?"

"I killed them... I didn't have a choice. I ran away when I was twelve, and I got caught... My mother said that she was going to murder me." Yumi said. "She was serious too... She chased me around the house with a fire axe, and I had to crack her head open with a hammer..."

Shugo didn't know what to say, but Yumi kept talking.

"I had to kill my dad as well... My older brother said that he was going to tell on me, so I killed him too... I broke his jaw and ribs... My little sister was just three. I ran away with her, and I have a babysitter with her now..." Yumi continued.

"How old is she now?" Shugo asked.

"She's nine..." Yumi replied.

Yumi was eighteen, which was older than she appeared. Shugo thought she was twelve or thirteen at most, but certainly not legal.

"I see..."

"Can I go to your room...?" Yumi asked.

Shugo nodded and took her hand. He slipped his knife in his pocket and went to his room.

"I just feel safer with someone..." Yumi said.

"I get it." Shugo said.

He laid in his bed, and she hopped into it.

"Um... Are you sure you want to lay here with me?"

Yumi nodded and cuddled up to him.

"Shugo... Aoi's your sister, right?"

"Yeah." He replied.

"I guess we're more alike than I thought." She said with a smile.

"Yeah, you're right." Shugo responded.

"Hey, Shugo...?"

"Yeah?"

"Considering that any day could be our last here..." She started.

He waited as she was taken over by nervousness.

"I... I want to get to know you better. I like you..." Yumi confessed.

"She doesn't even know me..." He thought.

He stroked her hair.

"Alright... Sure." Shugo said and smiled.

Yumi smiled and kissed him, and he kissed back. He didn't completely trust her, but he wanted to help her. Despite not being sure if he liked her or not, he knew time would tell. There was a haze around the entire thing, and as she pulled away from the kiss, all he could look at was her scar. All he could see was the scar. Not himself, not her, but a little girl with a scar. It scared him, and it made him feel helplessly sorry for her. He imagined that it could've happened to Aoi too. It was all shrouded in the smoke.