Episode 7 : Two Men (Part 2)

Tsumi walked through the residential streets of Tokyo, her steps steady and unhurried. She passed houses and people without sparing them a glance, her focus locked on her destination. Eventually, she stopped in front of a large, three-story house. It was imposing yet elegant, its exterior a muted color, with a wide lawn stretching out in front.

Finally… it's time.

Yes, this was the moment. The moment she had been waiting for.

She raised her hand and knocked on Ezakiel's door. Then she waited. And waited. And waited.

But the door remained shut.

No one came. No sound came from inside.

No… response…

She then pressed the doorbell, the chime echoing faintly inside the house.

And then she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

No… response again…

Just as she was about to press it once more, a voice called out from behind her.

"You should stop doing that…"

Tsumi turned around, her expression unchanged, yet her mind quickly assessing the situation.

An old woman stood there, her face deeply lined with wrinkles, her aged hands gripping a wooden cane for support. She wore simple, modest clothing, and the soft glow of the evening sun cast long shadows across her features, highlighting the wisdom in her eyes.

"Huh? What do you mean by that, dear respectable grandma?" Tsumi asked, her voice laced with her usual polite, almost playful facade.

"You are quite polite. Shame that many youngsters lack such manners these days," the old woman said with a hint of sadness in her voice. She let out a weary sigh before continuing, "Anyway, what I mean is that the person who lived here… isn't here anymore."

Doesn't live here anymore? What does she mean?

"Are you saying that there's no one in the house right now?" she asked, keeping her tone calm but firm.

The old woman shook her head slowly. "No."

"Then what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that the young man who used to live in this house has left the country," the old woman said.

Left the country…

Tsumi's ears refused to believe what she had just heard. The moment she had finally decided to take Ezakiel for herself, to mold him into what he was meant to be, this had to happen.

He had gone far away from her.

A feeling began to rise within her nearly emotionless self—this time, it was rage.

How dare he leave the country?

He was her pet. Well… not yet. But he was going to be. It was only a matter of time. He belonged to her.

And now, without warning, without permission, he had run away?

Her fingers twitched, itching to break something. But outwardly, she remained calm, her expression unreadable.

This changed nothing.

If Ezakiel had left the country, then she would simply go and fetch him.

Like how an owner would search for a pet that had wandered off, lost and unaware of where it truly belonged.

"Do you know where he went?" Tsumi asked, her voice steady. "I mean, which country?"

"That, I don't know," the old woman admitted, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "He only told me he was going abroad when I asked. I was his housemaid."

Tsumi clicked her tongue in annoyance. Doesn't matter. I will search the whole globe if that's what it takes to bring my pet back to me. And once I do…

A dark glint flickered in her eyes.

I'll cut off his legs first.

Pets can't run if they don't have legs.

She pushed her thoughts aside for now and continued, "What about the others who worked at his house?"

"If you're thinking that the other workers know where he went, then sorry to disappoint you, but all of them quit before he left the country," the old woman said.

Tsumi tilted her head slightly. "Huh… why did they leave?"

The old woman's expression darkened. She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"The young master changed," she said quietly. "I don't know how or why, but something happened. One day, he was as he always had been… and then suddenly, he wasn't."

Her grip on her cane tightened. "He began harassing the young female maids—some of them even left town because of it. I… I was a victim too," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "He said he wanted to 'try new things' or something along those lines."

Tsumi's expression remained blank, but her fingers twitched slightly.

"That wasn't all," the old woman continued. "He started treating everyone like trash. Looking at us as if we were nothing. As if we weren't even human."

She exhaled shakily before adding, "But the most horrifying thing… was what he did to the driver."

For the first time, a flicker of genuine curiosity crossed Tsumi's face.

"What exactly happened?" she asked.

"I don't know much, but something happened between him and the driver… and then the driver ended up dead," the old woman said, her voice heavy. "Most of us believed he killed him, but none of us had the courage to ask."

She hesitated before continuing, lowering her voice. "And then, something even stranger happened. The driver's entire family died. A tragedy, they called it. But we… we believed he had a hand in it."

Tsumi narrowed her eyes slightly. "How did they die?"

"It was framed as a murder-suicide. The mother supposedly killed her own child before taking her own life. It was all over the news for a few days… but then, just like that, it disappeared."

The old woman sighed, shaking her head. "Three days. That's all it took for the story to die out. No investigations, no follow-ups… just gone."

Tsumi crossed her arms, feigning contemplation. "I remember seeing that news," she said smoothly. "So the woman and child were the driver's wife and son?"

She was lying, of course. She barely paid attention to the news—it never interested her. But if this was connected to Ezakiel, then it was going to be very interesting.

"Yusuke was a kind and hardworking family man," the old woman said, her voice laced with sorrow. "I also knew his wife and son personally."

Then, her gaze shifted to Tsumi's uniform, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You wear the same uniform your master wore—the uniform of Summer Fall High. Tell me, do you know what happened at school that made the young master change like this?"

Tsumi's expression remained neutral. "I have no idea," she lied smoothly. "The school asked me to check if he had been causing any trouble." She paused for a moment before adding, "Though, I did hear that he broke a student's jaw and beat a few others nearly to death."

The old woman sighed, shaking her head. "Still hard to believe. The young master was never physically strong…"

She turned away, slowly making her way back toward her home. Tsumi watched her go, her mind already calculating her next move.

But just before the old woman disappeared from sight, she stopped and glanced back. "Oh, by the way," she said. "There was another girl… she might have some answers about where the young master went."

Tsumi's eyes sharpened. "Who?"

"I only saw her once," the old woman mused. "She was also a student from your school. Quite beautiful… and if I remember correctly, her name was Rin. Rin Hoshinova."

Tsumi's eyes widened slightly upon hearing the name.

Rin…

The old woman continued, "Though she wasn't alone. There was another woman with her… a bit older."

And with that, the old woman turned and left, disappearing into the quiet streets.

Tsumi stood there for a moment, processing the new information. It seems I'll have to interact with her more than I initially planned

Not that she had much of a choice.

Besides, she was curious now. What kind of connection did Rin have with Ezakiel? And more importantly… who was this other woman with her?

She would dive deep into this matter—no stone left unturned, no secret left undiscovered.

Because Ezakiel was hers.

And if anything or anyone dared to stand in her way, they would taste the unimaginable pain and suffering she was known for.

---

Rin sat on her bed, lazily scrolling through her phone, watching random online videos.

"Boring..." she muttered, swiping to the next one.

Another video played. She watched for a few seconds before sighing. "Boring..."

Just as she was about to swipe again, her phone screen suddenly changed—an incoming call.

Her eyes widened in shock.

The name on the screen sent a jolt through her.

It was Ezakiel's number.

She picked up the call, pressing the phone to her ear. "Hello..."

"Ah, Rin! So, how's everything over there? I hope the stunt I pulled last night didn't cause too much of a mess. Wait… or was it during the day? Sorry, it's hard to tell time for me since I'm in a different time zone. Everything just gets all mumbo jumbo."

"It didn't cause much trouble—just a little bit here and there," she replied. "Plus, you did manage to stun a few magical girls when they heard that 'I love you' line you threw at Yuki."

Her tone darkened at those last words.

That line—that line—should have been meant for her. Not for some old hag.

She hated it.

Hated it.

Hated it.

Hated it.

There was a brief silence before Ezakiel's voice cut through the tension.

"You okay?"

"I am not," she answered bluntly.

"Huh?"

"And why would I be okay?" Rin's voice trembled slightly, her emotions barely held in check. "Why did you have to risk your life for me? You know you could have died… because of me?"

A chuckle came from the other side of the call.

"Oh, dear Rin, it seems you still don't understand me," Ezakiel said, his voice calm, almost amused. "I told you already—the moment I decided to help you, from the very first time I saw you, I had already crossed the line of fear and death. I don't care if I die. But if I do, I will die trying to protect you."

Her heart pounded. His words—his devotion—made her feel something overwhelming, something intoxicating.

He cared for her. So much.

"Don't ever say that," she said, her grip on the phone tightening. "You are the only one left in this world, the only one in my life who truly cares for me—apart from my sister. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I will—"

And she would.

It didn't matter what she had to do.

Ezakiel was an angel in her eyes. Her angel. The one who had saved her from the darkness, pulled her from despair.

And she would never let him go.

No matter what.

She would keep him safe—keep him caged—where he belonged. With her.

"I get it, I get it. You care so much for me. Take some rest. I have some work to do, so bye-bye, Rin."

The call ended.

Rin let out a small sigh, tossing her phone onto the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, lost in thought, until a knock on the door interrupted her.

The door opened, and her sister stepped inside.

"Rin, there's some trouble..."

Rin sat up, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What happened, sister?"

"Someone's here to see you. And judging by the way she looks and talks, I think it's that psycho—Tsumi Hoda."

Rin's expression darkened immediately.

"What? What is she doing here?"

"I don't know. She said she wants to talk to you about something important."

Rin scoffed, tapping a finger against her chin in thought. Hah? What could be so important that she'd come here herself?

Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

She exhaled, pushing herself off the bed. "Fine. Let her in. I'll deal with her."

Her sister nodded and left the room.

Rin's gaze turned cold.

Tsumi Hoda...

This wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.