Wednesday, October 11th, 2028 | 12:35

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"You've been avoiding me lately and haven't even shown up in the Lit-Club at all… You totally let me down! Do you know what kind of shit I had to listen to?!"

Linus glanced to the side, listening to Akira's complaints before pulling his plate closer. "Ah... I'm sorry," he muttered.

Akira smiled. "Well, as always, I've come up with a new plan for you to win Maya's heart!"

Linus' eyes darted to the side, his emotions remaining unchanged. "I don't think that's a good idea; better leave it alone," he said.

Akira pouted his cheeks. "Are you still mad because of what happened last time?"

Paused in motion, Linus pondered, his brows slightly narrowing with a hint of anger. "I said, leave me alone."

But Akira was undeterred, his eyes sparkling with determination. "You haven't even listened to it!"

Standing up from his seat, Linus gave him a serious look. This would be his last warning.

But Akira kept talking as Linus began to walk off. "OIn 2 days Maya is throwing a big birthday party!"

Linus startled. "Sh-she invited me?!"

Akira's expression faltering slightly, as he hesitated. "Well... so she invited me and since it'll be a very open party, she certainly won't mind if you come too."

Disappointment came over Linus' face, this wasn't exactly the kind of answer he was hoping for. Though it was the kind he was expecting, thinking back to Akira's last glorious plan.

"Look, you're gonna go there, give her the best present ever and then you'll live happily ever after!"

Best present ever? A simple loser like him? With what money would he buy such a thing? He still hadn't recovered from the horrible investment in Cotton Candy stocks. "What should I get her anyway?" asked Linus as if trying to find an excuse. "This won't work. I'm done with it."

"Linus, Linus, Linus..." Akira's eyes gleamed with mischief. "The gift is in you!"

"Y-you mean she'll be happy just to see me? That's my present?!"

Akir alaughed. "What? No! But you're a gifted artist, Linus! The Picasso of hearts! Just paint her one of those pretty little pictures, and I'm telling you, she will melt!"

For a moment, Linus considered the idea. Akira was pretty good at making you believe in something, at sparking hope where there's none left. Even if it was for such an utterly stupid idea. "Do you even know how long it takes to do something like that?!"

Despite Linus having a point, Akira simply chuckled. "I'm sure when you think of Maya, it goes very quickly, hehe," he laughed, nudging Linus playfully in the side.

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Linus blushed. "Just leave me alone…" Then he continued to spoon semolina porridge into his mouth. After the third scoop, annoyance crept onto his expression as he glanced over to Akira, who was still sitting next to him, begging him with pleading eyes. "Come one Linus! It'll be the last time! I swear! Just one more try…"

Grimly, Linus munched in front of him before rolling his eyes. "Fiiiine, I'll try..." he conceded.

Akira beamed with pride, his eyes shining confident. "Nice! I'm expecting nothing but greatness from you!"

***

As Linus sat at his desk at home, the soft glow of a lamp illuminated the canvas before him. A brush danced across the surface, each stroke a reflection of his inner turmoil. With every stroke, he poured his heart and soul onto the paper, the colors swirling and blending in a symphony of emotion.

It was only when he was drawing that he was at peace.

"Sweetheart! Dinner's ready~" trilled a soft voice, pulling Linus out of his zone. At first, he felt upset about the interruption, then guilty about it.

"Did you hear?!"

Linus rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yeees."

"Good~"

Standing up from his chair, he stole another glance at the artwork. Beautiful blonde hair, gleaming pink eyes adorned with flowers all over it.

A gentle smile played on his lips as he imagined the joy Maya would feel when seeing this—or rather, he hoped so.

But even he, a master of self-criticism, found satisfaction in this picture.

Looking at his phone, stating the date 'October 12th', his heart began to race.

Tomorrow would be his last try to impress Maya.

Not only because he wouldn't dare try anymore afterward.

But also because tomorrow would be his day of death.

*

Meanhwile two other figures faced each other in the onset of night.

One tall, the other smaller, with a slight stoop.

The small one seemed unsure, constantly glancing from one side to the other, as if feeling watched.

The tall one, however, appeared calm yet menacing.

"P-Please, you must help me! Please protect me!" gasped the voice of the small man. He was elderly, his face lined with wrinkles.

"You'll need to be more specific; what do you want us to protect you from?" asked the larger figure, whose face was veiled by an ominous mask. Their voice was muffled and distorted.

"D-Death—I-I saw it! They're chasing after me! …I heard that you protect people from death…"

The taller one chuckled amusedly. "You say that as if we're a charity organization—the heroes of justice, or what? This is still a business."

Panic surged through the man. If he messed up these negotiations, it would mean his end. "Th-That's not what I meant! ...W-What price do you demand?"

"It depends on how much your life is worth to you, old man."

At these words, the man seemed to seriously contemplate. All the money he had earned over the past decades; it was useless to him once he was dead. Yet, he didn't want to give up everything he owned.

"W-What about... 10 thousand?"

The masked figure paused for a moment, just staring at him out of glowing blue eyes.

To the man, it felt like they waited deliberately long to convey a certain message to him. A warning.

In this seemingly brief moment, countless thoughts raced through his mind. Was that enough money? Shouldn't it be clear that this was just a negotiating basis. Should he make a better offer?!

Beads of sweat dripped down his face as he felt like losing himself in the eyes of his counterpart.

"You know, I have a daughter." With these words, the masked figure finally broke the silence.

The smaller man seemed not to understand at first. "Th-That's nice..." He forced a smile, while a hysterical laugh escaped him. "But what does that have to do with me—"

"Food, shelter, luxury, education, security; these are all extremely expensive. But what wouldn't one do to make their child happy... The happiness of life is truly priceless, don't you agree?"

The man nodded hesitantly, but dared not to speak.

"My people risk their lives to preserve those like you. We're not just fighting against any creatures of darkness here; we're dealing with death itself. For the price you mentioned, I could only guarantee you a week of protection at best."

The figure took a step closer to the man and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I suggest you think very carefully about how much your life is really worth to you."