Ben: (knocks on the door)
Akito: Come in.
Ben: (opens the door) Hello, Akito-san.
Akito: (blinks) I assume you are Ben Cipher, who asked to meet me?
Ben: Indeed I am. (Bows) I would take off my top hat if I still had it, but this will do, I hope?
Akito: (chuckles quietly) You are quite the jokester, aren't you?
Ben: (grins) It's my policy to warm up with that before I get to work.
Akito: Ah yes, I've heard of what happened that led to your purification. You have a way of impressing people with your backstory, alright. (takes his file out from her drawer)
Ben: As expected from you, Akito-san. May I take a seat?
Akito: Please do. Allow me to pour you some tea, then.
Ben: That would be appreciated. (Takes a seat)
Akito goes to get some tea, leaving him to read the file he had gotten from Keita.
Ben: Let's see... (Frowns) Her mother is cruel... Not even I would seduce someone that way. And I have done a lot of bad stuff. (Sighs)
Memories of his original life before finally turning a new leaf flash. His eyes grow glassy as he remembers every pained scream. The fear, the pure ecstasy he had felt.
He is then gently nudged by Akito before she goes to sit down.
Akito: Are you okay, Ben-san? You seem... (Hesitates) quite out of it.
Ben: Oh. Ah, sorry, Akito-san. I was just... reminiscing.
Akito: I see. (sighs) I understand your feelings.
Ben: H-Huh? (blinks)
Akito: (looks out the window, small smile) I admit that I've hurt many people. The people I wanted to protect... I ended up hurting them. I want to repent, but I know that being forgiven in itself will be a miracle.
Ben: (soft tone) Akito-san...
"It was hard for me to get to where I am today... I see where she's going here... But..."
Ben: (reaches out, takes Akito's hands with a smile) I see where you're going, Akito-san, but I know more than anyone that being forgiven, being able to joke and laugh with the people you hurt, is possible. After all, I've hurt so many people too. Way more than you, for sure, and yet, they've all forgiven me. Sure it'll be hard, but nothing good in life was meant to be easy.
Akito: (eyes widen) Ben-san...
Ben: Look, most of the time, your thoughts trap you. They make you think that being redeemed is impossible. That's why I kept on falling into the darkness. It was only after my friends broke the cycle that I realised how wrong I was. So... (smiles) Don't make the same mistake I did. You need to prove it to them. You have to recover and become a better person. Not just for their sake, but also for yours.
Akito: ... (eyes water, she wipes them away with a smile) T-Thank you so much for that, Ben-san... I-I'm glad you came to help me.
Ben: No worries. We'll work our way through little by little, so we won't push too much.
Akito: Good to know.
YOU ARE READING
Save Them - Redemption Arc Stories
Fanfiction"Every person can be redeemed. It only takes a long process." Welcome! I am Ben Cipher, founder of a new rehab center for mentally sick people (I hate that title, honestly), Fictional Healing Center. Here, we hope to save and redeem people the best...
