The sun hung high, bright and merciless. The city lay exposed beneath it no clouds, no shade, only white light cutting into the eyes. A path outside the city wound between low houses where paint had peeled and weeds pushed through cracks in the asphalt. The air was hot, smelling of dust and heated metal. No wind, no relief just heat and light.
Renji walked slowly, hands in his pockets, eyes on the ground. The sun beat straight into his face, but he didn't squint.
"I used to have a cat. Jacques."
His voice was quiet, even, as if stating a simple fact.
"A small gray ball with a white spot on his chest. I loved him so much. Carried him in my arms, fed him from my hand, slept with him. He purred so loudly it vibrated through my whole body. I thought that's it, the real thing. As long as he's with me, everything will be fine."
He stopped by a puddle yesterday's rain had left it in the middle of the path. The water stood clear, reflecting the sky and the sun.
"Then one day… ten stray dogs. They just attacked. Right in front of my eyes. They tore him apart. Left nothing no fur, no blood, just dirt and shreds. I stood and watched. Didn't scream, didn't run. Just stood. The sun was shining bright, the sky blue, as if nothing had happened. And Jacques was gone."
Renji lifted his head. The sun blinded him.
"Since then I hate the sun. It's too honest. Shows everything as it is and you don't care."
He walked on. The path curved behind a house, and the memory stayed lying in the puddle, like a dead kitten.
On the street in the center noise, people, cars. Haruto's group walked ahead: Haruto in the middle, the others around him, steps lazy. Behind them walked a girl alone, eyes on the asphalt. Raiden stood against the wall, shoulder leaning, watching indifferently at the group, at the girl, at the street. No words, no movement.
They passed each other. No one said anything. No glance lingered. Just a flow people, light, heat. They passed and disappeared around the corner.
Kaoru stood by the hospital. The sun hit her back; there was no shadow only her and the wall behind. She looked at the dirty puddle at her feet. The water was black, oily, reflecting her face distorted, like in a broken mirror.
She spoke quietly, but every word fell heavily.
"So… your grandfather killed my mother."
She touched the reflection with her finger. Ripples spread across the water, the face blurred.
"Did you know? Or did you just pretend you didn't care?"
A memory flashed sharply.
…They were thirteen. School corridor after classes, almost empty. Kaoru walked past Renji slowly, deliberately. She stopped, looked into his eyes.
"One fine day you'll die."
Her voice was calm, almost gentle.
Renji smirked crooked, without malice.
"Maybe. But you'll miss my corpse."
She didn't reply. Just walked on. But something inside her broke forever.
The memory faded.
Kaoru stood up. The puddle remained behind dirty, still.
Deep in the city, in an underground hall where the light was only red and dim girls lay on the stone floor, bound, gagged. Takayama stood in the center, smile never leaving his face. He entered one of them slowly, deeply, as if performing a ritual. Another screamed into the gag, tears streaming down her face, body jerking. The third no longer resisted eyes empty, body limp.
The air was thick with sweat, blood, semen, and incense. Moans mixed with prayers. One of the robed figures whispered: "He gives us strength… he takes everything…"
Renji's father sat in his cell rusted bars, dim light. He dragged an old car by a rope heavy, covered in dirt. The guards shouted from above:
"Pull harder! Or die here!"
He pulled with all his strength muscles tearing, blood running down his palms. From above the police chief watched face stone, eyes empty. Just watched as the father strained, as if this was the most ordinary sight.
The darkness was thick, sticky. It oozed from the walls, from the eyes, from the air. There was no hope. No light. Only weight pressing on the chest until breathing became hard.