100 days with Mr.Devil

Chapter 22: Holding onto the past

"Why are you protecting me?" Akiko asked.

"What?" Ayato asked.

"Didn't you want me dead? So that you can collect my soul? Why are you protecting me now?" Akiko asked.

There was silence.

"You have nothing to do with me. Like you've always said, you're just looking after me until my time is up." Akiko said.

"I..." Akiko paused.

"I'm nothing to you," Akiko whispered.

Ayato looked at Akiko. There was silence.

"You're right. You're just a mere human." Ayato said.

His words shouldn't have meant anything to Akiko but yet, she felt a slight prick in her heart.

"Then why are you protecting me?" Akiko asked.

"What's your motive?" She asked.

There was silence.

Akiko clenched the tip of her skirt in her hand. She bit her lower lip, "Fine. You don't want to tell me, so be it."

Akiko turned away from Ayato.

"Where are you going?" Ayato asked.

"Back to class," Akiko said before forcefully shaking Ayato's hand off.

Ayato stopped her and pulled her into an embrace.

Akiko was shocked, "W-what are you doing?!"

"From today onwards, I'll protect you."

"Y-you.." Akiko stuttered.

"Don't ask me why. Just know that I won't let anyone hurt you." Ayato interrupted her.

Akiko was still shocked by the situation. Still in his embrace, she remained silent.

She hugged him back with a faint smile.

She clenched her first tightly, "Please... please don't let me down."

When Akiko finally withdrew from the hug, she looked at Ayato, "I don't know why you don't want to tell me your motive, but my gut is telling me to trust you. Please... don't let me regret this decision."

Ayato didn't utter a word.

"I'll head back to class," Akiko said before leaving.

When Akiko finally left, Ayato whispered under his breath, "Because I don't want to lie to you."

Akiko looked at his hand, "For some reason, you make me feel reluctant to lie."

"My target is Xieus, not you," Ayato said.

There was silence. Thinking about Xieus made his blood boil.

He clenched his fist, "Xieus, I'll make you pay a hundred folds.."

"And I'll start with  the one you love the most."

- Heaven Relm -

"My Lord, where have you been?" A man wearing a white coat said as he saw Xieus walking down the hallway.

"You've been going down to earth a lot recently, Magnius isn't going to be happy." He said.

Xieus put a hand on the man's lip, "Shhh...Louis, do you hear that?"

There was silence.

"That is the sound of you shutting the hell up," Xieus said.

Louis removed Xieus's finger, "I'm just warning you lest you infuriate him."