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The Truth Ishin Didn't Want
Ishin's hands trembled.
His breathing was shallow, uneven.
The other Ishin stood across from him, arms crossed, his lips curled into a smirk.
Rin remained still, her blue eyes calm—too calm.
"You remembered, didn't you? Now you know the truth, right?" she said softly.
Ishin shook his head, stumbling back.
"I don't know anything!"
But even as he spoke—
Memories crashed into him.
A figure standing in the dark.
A blade dripping with blood.
His parents, lifeless on the floor.
And then—
The killer's face.
His breath caught.
His vision spun.
No…
This wasn't real.
It couldn't be real.
---
Running From Reality
His own voice felt distant.
The pain in his chest grew unbearable.
His vision blurred—his lungs tightened—his legs moved before he could think.
He turned—
And ran.
"You can never hide from the truth."
The other Ishin's laughter echoed behind him.
Rin's voice called out, but Ishin didn't hear her.
Didn't see her small, knowing smile before she vanished.
All he knew was the pounding of his feet, the burning in his lungs—
And the suffocating truth chasing him.
---
Isolation
Ishin didn't remember how he got home.
Only that he had locked the door.
Turned off the lights.
And hid.
For days, he stayed inside.
His phone buzzed—he ignored it.
The world continued—he didn't care.
His mind wouldn't stop.
Again and again, the memory replayed.
The face of the person who stole everything from him.
And the worst part?
He knew them.
But no matter how hard he tried…
He couldn't remember their name.
The missing piece tormented him.
Every time he closed his eyes—
The killer's smirk haunted him.
Like a shadow waiting in the dark.
Like a nightmare that refused to end.
---
Hunger & a Cry for Help
It wasn't until his food ran out that he finally forced himself outside.
Late at night. Hood up. Head down.
He just needed to grab something and go back home.
Simple.
At least, that's what he thought.
Until he heard the scream.
A girl's voice.
Sharp. Terrified.
Ishin's body moved on instinct.
He ran toward the sound, turning a corner—
And then he froze.
A man stood beneath the dim glow of a streetlamp, gripping the girl's wrist.
Tall. Dangerous.
His face turned slightly—
And Ishin's entire body went cold.
His pulse stopped.
His breath caught.
His mind screamed.
He knew this man.
---