The man was already shaking before I even touched him.
His back hit the wall with a dull thud,his breath breaking into panicked gasps.
The room was dim,only a single lamp flickered on the desk,it's weak orange light stretching shadows across the floor.
The air conditioner hummed,steady and indifferent.
I closed the door behind me with a click.
A small sound,but it shattered whatever hope he was clinging to.
His eyes darted around the room,searching for something,anything...that could save him.
But There was nothing,of course.There never is.
"Councilman Reyes," I said,stepping forward.
My boots sank into the plush carpet, soundless. "I'm sure you can guess why I'm here."
He flinched at his name.
Always a good sign.
"W-Wait—listen—listen to me,"he stammered,hands raised like they could shield him. "I—I can explain—!"
I tilted my head,studying him. Sweat soaked his shirt,clinging to his skin.
His face is pale,lips trembling so violently they could barely form words.
"Explain?" I repeated what he said.
"You want to explain why you took money that wasn't yours? Or why you leaked information? Or why the people who hired me want you gone before sunrise?"
He froze.
That told me everything.
I crouched to his eye level,resting my elbow on my knee as if were discussing something casual.
"You made mistakes," I said softly. "People like you don't get the luxury of repeating them."
He scrambled sideways,trying to crawl away,but his leg slipped on the carpet.
I stepped on his path, blocking him effortlessly.
"You don't have to do this," he whispered. He's voice cracked,and his body shook harder than before. "I—I have a family—"
"My job isn't about what I have to do." I raised my blade and let its reflection cut across his terrified face. "It's about what I'm paid to do."
Then I smiled.
That broke him.
"Please," he choked,voice raw. "Please—don't—don't—"
I pressed the flat of the blade against his shoulder..not slicing,just pushing.
Enough pressure to make him wince and curl inward.
Enough to make fear bloom wider in his chest.
He sucked in a shaky breath.His hands trembled violently as he tried to push me away.
Bad idea.right?
I grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind him,not enough to break,but enough to send a surge of pain through his entire arm.
He let out a strangled cry,body jerking against the carpet.
"There it is," I murmured. "The part where the pain starts."
He collapsed onto his side,clutching his arm as he tried to crawl backward again,fingers digging into the floor.
I wasn't in a hurry.
I let him drag himself across the room, his breath turning desperate,rapid,uneven.
The psychological unraveling was always the slowest part.
When he tried to stand,I kicked his knee,not hard enough to break it, but to send him crashing down.
He screamed,gripping the spot in reflex. Pain,sharp and immediate,pulled his eyes wide open.
He looked up at me,trembling, and realization dawning that this wasn't going to be quick.
"Why… why are you doing this?" he rasped.
"Because your enemies paid for your silence" I answered simply.
And just as I raised my arm—
My phone rang.
The ringtone sliced the tension clean in half.
I blinked once and lowered the blade with a sigh.
Seriously?
I stepped back,pulled out my phone,and answered with the bright tone of someone who definitely wasn't kneeling over a bleeding politician.
"Hello?"
"Aki!! Where are you? We're all waiting!"
Claire's voice burst from the speaker,loud enough to echo through the room.
My expression softened instantly,muscles relaxing,eyes lightening.
A mask sliding back into place.
"Oh! Claire! Uh… sorry, where again?"
"You forgot? Mika's birthday!"
Behind me, the councilman whimpered—a broken, shaking sound.
"Wait,is someone there with you? I heard crying...are you okay?"
I pressed my heel lightly into the councilman's ribs, just enough to shut him up.
His breath hitched.
"Huh? Ah—no. Just watching a horror movie."
I forced a cheerful laugh. "Super scary. I'll head over soon. Let me just… finish this."
Before she could ask anything else,I hung up.
The cheerful expression vanished like it was never there.
I turned back to Reyes.
His eyes widened,reflecting the truth he had been trying to deny.
"That call bought you sixty more seconds" I said quietly. "You should thank her."
His body shake uncontrollably as I walked toward him again.
"It'll hurt," I warned. "That's the part they asked for."
He choked out a sound,half sob,half attempt at begging.
I didn't give him the chance.The blade moved quick,Precise and Brutal.
His scream tore through the room,raw, desperate and helpless.
His body curled,fingers clawing at the carpet,breath stuttering into broken gasps.
He tried to crawl away again.
And then the final moment hit..swift and clean.
Silence followed.Heavy and Absolute.
I exhaled slowly, letting my heartbeat settle back into its usual rhythm.
Job well done.
I left the hotel through the service exit, blending into the night air,the city's humidity wrapped around me instantly,but it felt grounding after the suffocating tension of the room.
A taxi drove past.A group of teenagers laughed on the sidewalk.
Normal life continued like nothing had happened.
That was the funny thing about this world.
Ordinary people never notice the blood that stains its foundations.
By the time I reached my apartment,I was already shedding the last pieces of Ruka Kurosawa.
Inside the bathroom,warm water washed away the evidence.
I tied my hair into a loose ponytail,slipped into a soft pale-pink top,denim shorts, and a cardigan.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed out,the city lights reflecting in my freshly cleaned eyes.
My name is Akira Atienza.
A seventeen year old totally "normal" girl living in Manila,you can call me Aki for short.
When I reached the restaurant,Claire waved at me from across the tables.
"There she is! Aki! You're late!"
I smiled bright,warm,and entirely innocent.
"Sorry! Something came up."
I joined them,surrounded by music,chatter, and the glowing warmth of celebration.
Just a typical normal night for me.