From the moment he could remember, he had always been alone, living in a dilapidated and desolate house. Only his name, Yōsen, was etched into his heart.
This name seemed to have been given by a very important person, but Yōsen couldn't recall who.
"I hope you shine like the sun and are as clear as spring water."
The voice of a young woman echoed in his memory, words spoken to Yōsen.
Who was she? Was she his family? The more he tried to remember, the more he was met with a blank.
But his current situation, let alone shining, he couldn't even stand in the sunlight. The bone-chilling burning sensation and festering skin on his hands were vivid in his memory, still clear even after many days.
Looking at his smooth, fair palms, without a single scar, he recalled how, when his hand retreated from the sunlight back into the shadows, the burns on his palm quickly healed. This astonishing healing speed puzzled Yōsen, so he picked up a sharp stone. He seemed to feel no pain as he used the stone to cut his arm.
A drop of blood fell to the ground, and the wound on his arm healed instantly. This situation made Yōsen realize that he had become a… monster? Someone who couldn't touch the sun, with incredibly high regenerative abilities?
But what did it matter? Yōsen didn't care.
Night soon fell, and Yōsen could finally leave the house. He sat under the eaves, feeling the gentle night breeze, staring blankly at the starry sky. He always felt as if something was drawing him there, or rather, he was searching for something in the night sky.
Tonight, the moonlight was clear, and the bamboo forest rustled.
In the silent mountain forest, a pleasant female voice suddenly rang out, "Oh my~ there's one here too~"
Many butterflies suddenly appeared in Yōsen's line of sight. A maiden, like a butterfly, flew down from the sky, wearing a white haori with a rainbow-colored hem, holding a long sword. Her haori fluttered in the air like a butterfly's wings.
"Insect Breathing, Dance of the Butterfly: Caprice."
Yōsen remained seated, unmoving and unevading, still gazing at the starry sky, not sparing her a single glance. The maiden was a little surprised and unconsciously withdrew her attack, landing softly beside Yōsen.
"Good evening, Mr. Demon, what are you doing?"
…Yōsen remained silent, not turning to look at her. Seeing that this demon ignored her, Shinobu inexplicably felt that this demon's personality was very similar to someone in the corps. Shinobu spoke again,
"Mr. Demon, what is your name? I am Shinobu. I've always wanted to get along well with demons~ Let's try to be friends~"
While Shinobu said she wanted to get along well with the demon, her hand never loosened its grip on the sword hilt. If Yōsen made any sudden move, Shinobu would swing her sword without hesitation.
At this moment, Yōsen finally moved, turning his head slightly to look at Shinobu. His golden hair, still dazzling even in the moonlight, his sapphire-like eyes, his high nose bridge, and his rosy lips, were all taken in by Shinobu.
Shinobu was somewhat amazed by this demon's appearance. Other demons were usually grotesque, but this demon, aside from the demonic aura around him, was almost indistinguishable from a human.
"Yang… Quan."
Yōsen stammered his name, like a newborn baby learning to speak. He hadn't spoken for a very long time.
"Oh my~ Mr. Yōsen, what are you doing here?"
"Watching the stars."
"I see, Mr. Yōsen is watching the stars."
Shinobu wore a gentle smile, but Yōsen felt her smile was fake, as if she was just trying to appear that way.
"Then, Mr. Yōsen, do you know about demons?"
"Demons?"
Is that so? He hasn't even realized he's no longer human! Shinobu looked at the golden-haired young man before her, who seemed to be her age. Then, it would be up to her to grant him release.
"Yes, that's… like you."
Shinobu took a few steps and stood very close to Yōsen, her blade already pressed against Yōsen's chest.
"Mr. Yōsen, you have become a demon."
"Do you know? Demons~ have no heart. They casually trample on lives, take away others' important people! Devour their closest and dearest!"
As Shinobu spoke, she thought of her older sister, Kanae. Her sister had always wanted to get along well with demons, sympathizing with them. She had tried to persuade her so many times, but in the end, her sister was still killed by a demon.
A demon? So I've become the demon she spoke of? I truly have become a monster! Yōsen lowered his head, looking at his hands. In a trance, he saw his hands stained with blood. Yōsen's hands trembled uncontrollably, and voices appeared in his mind.
"You monster! Monster!"
"You killed him, you devil!"
"…"
Several figures made of black lines raised their fingers and pointed at him, standing opposite Yōsen. The him in the scene remained silent, the blood on his hands continuously dripping to the ground.
Those images stung Yōsen's nerves. Yōsen's breathing grew heavy, and he mumbled in a low voice,
"I didn't… I didn't!"
Shinobu looked at Yōsen like this, smiling gently at him, her soft voice soothing Yōsen's emotions.
"Mr. Yōsen, it's alright. Becoming a demon wasn't what you wished for, I know that."
Yōsen finally came back to his senses. It seemed someone had said something similar to him before.
"Yōsen, it's alright, it's not your fault."
Looking at Shinobu's smile, which was no different from before, he still felt her anger, hidden beneath the smile.
"Are you… angry? You said… demons have no heart… but I do! I haven't… eaten anyone."
Yōsen gently took Shinobu's hand and placed it on his chest. Shinobu felt the warmth and the beating of a heart in her hand. She silently withdrew her hand.
"Indeed, Mr. Yōsen does have a heart~ So, before Mr. Yōsen becomes like that, I will… kill you first."
The slender sword, with a blade only at its tip, pierced his heart. Yōsen raised his hand, but then lowered it.
Would a demon do this? Then it's probably better to die. Yōsen closed his clear sapphire eyes, slowly lay down, and quietly awaited death.
Shinobu looked at Yōsen, who wasn't resisting, and pursed her lips. She injected a painless poison into Yōsen's body. This demon named Yōsen, perhaps he was the kind of demon her sister spoke of who could get along well. But she couldn't do it!
After a final glance at Yōsen on the ground, Shinobu quickly left.
"I hope, Yōsen-san, that in your next life, you will not become a demon again."