A target. A promised death on her back.

Every morning, to every second of the day, to the very last one of the night, Chimiko is faced with death. Her only guarantee at life is risking it for the so called 'good of the world'.

A test, that's what her waking moments to their falling were each and every single day.

She knew that, but still allowed herself to be dragged in by temptation. She endangered the one she claimed to love the most, and a part of herself felt no remorse.

The other was wailing in what she knew was to come.

#~#~#

She felt herself drowning in an abyss of pain. The sorrow that followed left a trail of her tears in its wake. The darkness ate at her soul, finding bits and pieces of her underlying joy that Chimiko was direly unaware of.

Her throat constricted her airflow as she tried to desperately cling on to whatever fabric of hope she could possibly have left. That was her mistake. She watched with swollen eyes that harboured the last bit of pure blood that resided in them. She watched as her light completely faded away; as if it were swallowed by oblivion.

#~#~#

Oh had she miscalculated so much.

She couldn't back out of her assignment now, it was far too late and she was already in too deep. Calling for backup wasn't an option, thanks to what she went through, or better what she didn't go through, the previous night.

Communications were out, information was limited, and options were dwindling.

Not only did she now have to find a way out of that hellhole with as little damage as possible, she had to rescue not one, but two victims without burdening herself with them as casualties. From her recollections of the past day's events, she relayed what she had coincidentally overheard from the group's lackeys.

If what they said was true to any extent, then society as the world knew it would be in utter shambles.

#~#~#

"I didn't mean to love you so much."

'Just please, hold my hand. Even if it be the last time.'

#~#~#