• Prologue

    He is dying. Moreover he is dying in the arms of someone he used to trust—no, that was a lie. He still trusted him, even though the man is divided. He always thought that in death the senses were dulled to nothing, but nothing has been so clear to him until this moment. Everything seems more real than in that time…The time before the murder.

    The dying man blinks; he realizes the murderer is talking. “We’ve had this discussion numerous times but did you know it would turn out this way?” There was a pause; the murderer did not expect an answer. The dying man wondered if he could even give one. “Yet you also knew it would happen. You knew I was who was most capable for the job.”

    One allegation was true, the other was highly probable. A longer pause. “But I bet you did not know I would be so set as to take what was rightfully mine. You always underestimated me…and look where you are now.” Again, no response from the dying man, though he could hear it all.

    “But tell me…aren’t you proud of me, Shion?” The murderer inquired as he picked up the blue-lacquered mask with one hand, raising it to his face. “I am finally being…who I really am.”