Posted at 15:10 by Ne

"So basically, to the city, you're a virus. And that's why they tried to erase you."
"I'm a human. I won't be erased that easily."
Nezumi sighed deeply in exasperation.
"It's easy for humans to kill other humans, you know."
Shion clenched his fists tightly again.
"But they can save people too."
"What?"
"You saved me. Nezumi," he said earnestly, "parasite wasps don't help each other out. But people can save other people. Am I wrong?"
Nezumi smiled briefly, and his gaze slid away from Shion.
"You're as stupid as they come. Hopeless. Where did you think of that sickening cliché? I told you, I'm only repaying my debt."
"And I told you, you've already paid enough."
"How generous of you to have such low estimations of my debt," said Nezumi sarcastically.
"Then you must have had pretty high estimations."
Nezumi let out a long breath, and looked up at the ceiling. He bit his lip in silence as if to grope for the right words. The mice gathered around his feet.
"You don't understand," he said momentarily. "No amount of words would probably make you understand. That day, four years ago, I'd mostly given up. Giving up means the end of you. I knew that. But there was no way anyone would help me, or lend me a hand― that's what I honestly thought. I couldn't ask for help, I had nowhere to run.... I snuck into Chronos, so tired I couldn't move, and I thought about how it was only a matter of time until I was caught..." he paused, then spoke quietly. "I felt so― humiliated. I wondered if the whole reason I'd been born was just to die in humiliation like this.... don't laugh.
Shion would never have been able to. The sounds of that night four years ago were echoing in his ears. The sounds of the wind, the trees, and the whipping rain meshed and undulated, rising vivid and sharp in his mind. And amidst the din and darkness, a sopping wet boy was curled up on the floor.
"And then the window opened. You threw it open wide, didn't you. And then you spread your arms open."
"Yeah, I remember. I felt really restless, and I wanted to scream."
"To me, it looked like you were calling, beckoning for me to come in. I thought― this was unbelievable, and it was happening right this moment. And you even left the window open when you ducked back inside."
"I was going to turn off the atmosphere control system."
"I don't care for what reason. That window you left recklessly open was my stroke of luck. And the fact that you didn't call the Security Bureau on me, but instead treated my wound and even gave me food was another miracle. I found out for the first time that things like this could happen. That a helping hand could be extended miraculously like that.... you were the first one that taught me. Like all of these―" Nezumi slowly looked about his room.
"― These thousands of stories here, you taught me that sometimes we encounter the most unexpected things. And that's why I was able to survive...." he lapsed into momentary silence. "So you're right. There are times when people are saved by other people. And you're the one that taught me that. You were the only one that taught me that. The debt I owe for that is high― unfortunately for me."

Etiquetas: Blah~, Books, Cita

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