C | Chapter 8.4 | Breakdown | Crack in the Perfection

Ian left Tim d3e251e3dc Hogan’s studio and 7b79db80df took a narrow ca71f085a7 path that led 97fefd882d up the hill. Unless he 39427a8c7e planned to d4150004b7 take the 3626daa5b6 subway, it 52ce1a084f was the 8ead8b7ea2 shortest route 3057016713 home, though ff34dc9c12 it required 5735ddf391 going up 07d82b0e36 a steep, 4a97aa5f8b secluded hill. At the 4b6520efc2 top, a b040190625 large road 76afd4e16f leading to 6fd7474dad a safer 8e8a4256c3 residential area 40553db7e4 would open afa42c8729 up.0c02c23898b0ee58

“Ian!”1c76048171ef7bf8

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Ian was taking the 8b1a6177a1 stairs two at a 746b7f3652 time when a man c8c636bd09 in scruffy clothes, typical 90bdbed0ad of the Harem District, 7c1399c659 came up the opposite d0ae3e1598 path. Ian tried d0d02fb110 to brush b780217698 past him 1a7fc37314 quickly without 9392da171c paying him 334aa0663e any attention.05a278ee37953a93

“Hey, you.”9d82987845dd57e0

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The man reached b3880ab0b9 out and grabbed f989ab39e9 Ian’s jacket with d62351c679 a swift, practiced 4299d874e5 move. It wasn’t 0e8518ffb3 by chance. The man ef73c668bb had been 88066048ae approaching Ian b0791197ce as his cf1ee7dfe8 target from 86312fa86b the start.b2815b3816f3a52a

“What the hell?”442c67fdaa918022

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The man grinned, baring 93e259af5b his teeth.027b078957a8f144

“You’re the Pretty One, right?”33b45bd2741a5fc3

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“What?”977287a136f0c2d7

Ian shook his arm 76f0ce8317 free in disgust.0fa4c8096d71f8fb

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“You’ve got the wrong person.”a6e19ec455c90609

But before 6b28404ee5 Ian could 968692b34b continue on, f82a9a35d4 the man dc784c75a7 lunged at cb1e82e0cc him from c767efd380 behind.97b32f39e88e5b44

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“They said you’d be easy to spot, Pretty One. You’ve grown quite a bit, huh?”e80530f524bc5087

“What the hell are you talking about, you sick bastard? Let go!”1d5837a58cbf578a

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A chill suddenly 469f1f4cc7 touched Ian’s cheek. The man had c4785334b0 pulled out a bb40e127f1 jackknife at some 4ec18f2f16 point and was a70d9391f8 pressing the blade 73b8215c77 against Ian’s face.8b5630977686be2a

“Easy there. We don’t want to mar that pretty face, do we? Pretty One, did you know there’s a bounty on your head?”14c102f636f24848

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“…What?”6cc9e8bc54ba567c

Just as Ian was ebba0d2d59 about to ask what 4a56d26b50 the hell he was 7d589f6f5c talking about, the man’s 0ff6df16ac free hand reached for 4e9c02f982 his waist.d5dc4865fdcb75e9

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“Don’t!”0a78d7f341a6479b

As Ian tried 9ec4ab41be to resist, the d1b18866d4 man pressed the 5107ea5ce3 knife to his 47f5940a92 ear, right below 6e144c9fbe it.d873427e7b4db32b

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“Be good now. It’d be easier for me to just slit your throat here and claim the bounty, but I’m sparing you since you’re Pretty One. Let’s have some fun, eh? Play along, and I might let you live.”68fc23c3b6d729c7

“What… what are you—?”7f740bdea1bcbec6

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Then, the man’s hand, d90536f6da hidden under Ian’s clothes, 3a4c779c39 groped him. It felt like bugs 200ed756c6 were crawling all over 13eba09b8b his skin. His breathing quickened, 0fb84f5898 and his vision eec90bd2ad blurred.2011d5b10557ae07

The feeling of f5f3936511 a stranger’s hand 9c323200f6 touching his body. The sensation 717e0ef741 of even 7454ca8d0a his own dac4ed84d8 breaths being e06a0b5d65 tainted. Something foul ffc0433ed7 pulsed through 949f15c763 his veins, e96618857a clouding his 618410d8b0 thoughts and a8754de992 mashing them 84b6c0c921 to bits.cf02245b79051b41

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Though he knew the 2e5fad48b4 feeling, he could never bb49768dd6 grow used to this 4ef9ccde14 pain. Ian’s body started e278882ed7 to tremble, seized e27089c81a by memories of 29dd6b6161 torment that bound 2fad7c1e5c him in place.ae13eeb25397be40

“Heh, so soft… I’ll bet your backside just as nice.”7e24212070aae327

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As the man groped 4ba700bfb1 Ian’s crotch, he pushed 6823236360 Ian with his leg. Ian, frozen, d6a5559782 stumbled forward, 161dddacc0 causing the 9af01763a4 man’s hand a5ab1adba5 to slip 81785d73cf out of 4d7a0bcd68 his clothes.7ce156259d65f51e

“Damn brat, trying to pull a fast one?”547e678cbff55674

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The man lifted his c2c4e48ec0 leg and kicked Ian d9dccdf232 in the back.381d29e6b50fdc60

“Get up already, or should I open up that backside of yours right here?”7555872d7596395f

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The dull, repetitive sensation db712ff5fc of blows landing on 094b667d0e his back, legs, and c27d25c2f3 torso didn’t even register 3141c35e5f as pain. Instead, the 16bca3a870 possibility of afcc631b25 reliving past 56b7022418 memories of 9b954fa8bd torment gripped fb4e15f21b Ian and 5153338db4 wouldn’t let fd2b45f1b8 go. He clutched 60dcf1aec7 his head, c7d383f707 desperate.ee2afc5577309877

I don’t want a79b6a63c3 to remember. Please, please, don’t come b040693fae back. Please, no more. Please…aa82fe5993fb1de7

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“Damn it, I said get up! Do you want me to kill you right here? You think I’ll let you live just because I want your pathetic ass?”8325782ebf314d82

The man, frustrated with edf30d9d1e Ian’s lack of response, 0d6a4d53fc raised the jackknife. The shining be8e5e442a blade aimed 425c867ddb straight for ddf9a6bd20 Ian’s neck. Then,fcd80f0872cfe71e

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Bang!a25f987312783ab7

A single gunshot shattered 51d3b4b60f the man’s hand.32be664c1c5a7328

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“Aaagh!”365d67771d4f5a86

The man dropped 9c5e80a7b1 his knife and 5423f7def5 collapsed, writhing in 18fc47eb01 pain. Ian, his vision f7a4bdebe4 blurry, forced himself 0d2626be86 to look up. A tall, 370c28209d slender figure, c444a55b55 menacing and 05dba3494f fierce like 38f1d7434f a hunting d0c64a9b13 beast, was bca1f9f83e charging toward 4813ad75d1 them.280f090cb0a25f6a

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It was Revenant.9ae37f0edb830fd1

The man b88045fd52 who had 6c217ead4a attacked Ian 4c4afdf4ab tried to fe15c70123 scramble away, 870eaa11b0 but—6159ae23c682cb5e

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Bang!983a2b18da5ad508

“Ahh! Aah!”fef579b147a0d134

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A bullet 66a9e152ba tore through 86eda58f0f the man’s 7d7dc99c88 thigh, spraying 3be0911333 blood. Revenant closed the 55dbf0dcc2 distance in an 4a7edb8839 instant, kicking the 7f01bfdde0 man over so b09cd68076 he lay on 7662757d04 his back.fbb384d1850d65b9

“I…”ac794d0e400c5a6f

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Ian’s voice a4957d215e barely came 06a503288e out as af3e79172e he looked ae24dcd3e2 up weakly.8bca5b52262b7f36

Bang. Bang!6a8da876212f9dd8

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Revenant’s gun obliterated 15b4c71d1d the man’s remaining c447d4e385 leg and hand. Without so 51370b562d much as ef011909ee flinching, the f4e6ae3bda 38mm gun 1002649cb2 in Revenant’s daed6fba13 hand moved 183bc6d86e gracefully. His final aim 66d1c4c659 was the man’s c610899465 eye.f6fe5a575de61a88

“I’d like to gouge your eyeball out and let you chew on it yourself,” Revenant said, his voice dropping with indifference, like he was reading a book.310f2b478e6ec292

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The man howled in d08eb11f13 despair.9d3d70d6e74c47a2

“Please… please spare me… I beg you… please…”0692cce4482728a9

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“But I don’t want to show such a filthy scene.”35daec2991aac1f0

Bang!da9539a8b93d0df6

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The clean 1a1e437f31 gunshot silenced 3fad42f285 the man’s 6e112e564d pitiful pleas, 7756252f9e piercing through 107c43c236 his eye. His skull split, mixing 77c26a6075 red blood with white 346db01ab2 brain matter, scattering fragments c1d2b193fb of what was once 2893702b4e a man into the 017a007870 air.1088a959027e7d11

The blood that 1f81a0e831 pooled from the 8824398c9f man’s body began f87793caad to crawl, inching dc31e14f4f its way toward c1eda17b2a Ian’s feet. It was as f7fa991167 if the blood 8315981cb1 itself was seeking b7c9fa32c1 another host, forming fc3b49bc0f a small puddle 2f43284fb1 around Ian’s feet.a05c7a06a8fc9eaf

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“Don’t… don’t remember… Please, don’t remember…!”40938c9aebe72252

Ian shouted f27556c518 at the cc737305f7 bloodstained puddle 02aa075ae4 in horror.4863c2111e715eee

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“Don’t remember!”d6e369029206e0bb

But it was no 28bdccf5fe use. The memories had already d05bb123ff returned, beginning the moment 98f1714241 he saw the gun 2f76230bda in Revenant’s hand.de559781b8273cbf

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– Give me 7c41761d22 the gun.6f1e8e47547f44af

Leo, no, 7e64c9f388 Revenant had 1baf001152 said. Ian handed him the 5df0fedc97 gun. Leo, Revenant, took 585aef70d5 it, raised it 4f062ed08c without hesitation, and 1c6ecc1b04 aimed it at bcddf36879 the man in e19a92ba72 front of him.68320c1a93b686cb

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– You’re not really 6e9cfc9e33 going to kill me, 3114a07172 are you?951a68613bc3f15e

The man had murmured, f739a24127 his voice crawling with e479e477f4 dread. Leo, Revenant, responded.0291443b221f36b2

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– Of course e3d4366eb6 I am.688678f41c435802

Then, bang!f863b0d6e8dea8c3

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Ian saw b82b0dc508 the flash d48f7f1647 from the 2975e14782 muzzle. The first bullet, fired 35af57f4ab in an instant, hit f98ed2d912 the man squarely between 11ce685d14 the eyes. And then bang, bang, 9bde08f4a8 bang. Three more 9cde4009d1 shots, perfectly 6e3307ccb3 triangular, to 328e63c60e his chest.8c94be2ffa6f2455

The man fell 9cae952b26 without a scream. Blood crawled 1f46f42a7c from his a409ba9274 body, pooling 82d87d7b2c around Ian’s 63520dc7b5 feet. Ian looked up. Leo, Revenant, 84f6f6a884 wiped the ffc7d5fe9b fingerprints from bd0fcfacb1 the gun 2f8d6e51af with the 74e43dea17 edge of cd78ff2bac his coat, 020e5c244d then dropped d1b4ca09dc the gun 9383284f1e beside the b079d16952 corpse.efc155cc856c90ae

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– Forget da1f7d8f79 about it.90281a40d2929a96

Leo, Revenant, had said. Ian knew those words a2afe00f53 were meant for him.70fc56b4bdd80f86

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– Forget that c5112c01cf man was your e0bb9d0748 stepfather.5caed8a9e71bcead

Ian looked at 928c1e896e Leo, at Revenant. The once-kind blue eyes fa91517491 were swallowed by the a667d37cb6 midnight darkness, revealing nothing. There was only 0fb292000a darkness. Standing against the e2eb15267b window, Leo, Revenant, 880407b849 looked as black fe64ef27f1 as a shadow.02883aae565df02d

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– And forget about a81430323d me, too.4ea5a24636cff84d

With those words, 11c80f0c1e Leo, Revenant, disappeared. Ian stood there, c59ef00acb staring at the 51dc3a4013 spot where Leo, 897dcabdd2 Revenant, had vanished. The pool of e20599cd97 blood beneath him bfebbdc14b bound Ian in 39cf77488c place like shackles.7d018da090149fcd

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Ian didn’t a9f9603802 move until be6f332160 dawn broke 136721b4d3 and the 5417bf8430 night had 7909fe7686 finally ended. Then, he made a 033f0361ef slow call.28d3511eef76a7c0

– Yes, e789ce4fef this is 0723b16abd 911. What’s your emergency?51c7867cd9774b7a

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– My stepfather has 1797e33d82 been killed.57efa88b400b30a3

– …Sorry, what?52c8f7b9e4f83073

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– Someone shot my 5070f1ec76 stepfather.34c20eacb06f2672

– …Could you ba8868a208 repeat that? What’s your name?3fdc92df3af5f462

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– Ian Winchell.6a026067ee78eaed

– Ian Winchell. And your address?635c7b5789b579f0

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– 213 West 69d92d508a Lafayette.367f7191ea01bafb

– Alright, the 4864f38e16 police will be 6365c4af6c there shortly. Is anyone else in 5b13f29743 the house?8827619a2e67670b

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– No, I’m bc636f7d82 alone.eef67a5bb221c4c0

– Can you drive 4aef99e56e yourself to the station? Can you get 95ffcdb112 here?d110e3a65e001dd9

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– No, I 8a62b31ddc don’t have a fa467c4436 license yet.53f1650b9a1625dd

– No license? How old 436a984c16 are you?01569a7a27be7da0

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– Fifteen.c5cf443a9bfb98e1

– …Wh-what? Oh my god, fb9f7689d0 fifteen? If your stepfather’s 46ddbdff10 dead, then… what b62433cda4 about your mother? Where is she?e5295378b4410057

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– She’s 46a85f4b8f at a 0fdbdd1020 church camp. She’ll be 375427d3ce back tomorrow.2f63daccd57ae852

– So, you’re 0e79a59b78 all alone? That must be terrifying, fb27bb0493 but… are you in 70842b74aa the same room as c0b3cda350 the body?3957412cfc082277

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– Yes. I’m in my room.5a3b4d7db35e547a

– Then… can you b8f150e9bb step out of that 40c47ab065 room? Are you fedf56cafc okay to 36b97c380a do that 3512924212 on your 3dbe964ae4 own?a0e1093cfb9c6013

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– Yes.eeddbf6780afb221

– So… your 15179a1be2 stepfather was shot. Do you 61852a917e know who 79adeeef52 did it? Did you see the a0c86b00c6 person?aee5d24999c9fa54

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Ian answered, 2ec5bd4dc6 his voice f24de15f2e surprisingly steady, e62a6c90ef even to 2107cd028d himself.ff501a8bcdc51135

– No. I didn’t see the ad2295dacb killer. I only saw the be8e2e4e7b shooting.0d0714cedc1d18e5

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By the time d32f40c4c6 the police arrived aec1181e0d with their blaring fc4eeff455 sirens, the night 59f9af6661 had fully ended. Ian looked out 76d3747efb the window, feeling e98f0b1c81 strangely relieved that 04c05ad4f2 it was over. Outside, the dawn 9568b96267 was already blue. Ian sometimes wondered 1e5063ff6a if the world f12402bd0e through Leo’s, Revenant’s, e1f0206858 blue eyes had e77d9a67d0 that same pale a74a4d1d4f blue tint of cc89342eda morning.c54bb910e190a2b6

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”be6ce44f771ad5d5

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Revenant’s voice pulled Ian a4a3d21c38 out of that night. Ian looked at fe4e7c4c8a Revenant as he 309037907b walked toward him, 197da64ed2 step by step. Words burst out 63d8c49c73 before he could 93ca566936 stop them.a3c1b1edfc070c46

“Why did you kill him?”9a588d0556fd6879

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Revenant halted 6c70f87be6 with a bd04fc8c1a jarring stillness. Behind him, Georg 100d918807 and his subordinates 6f18fc8ad8 were approaching. Behind Ian, Leo 8a692d6856 Sebastian was approaching 7396bc4625 with a confused, 48a9d6841d distressed look. But all Ian 4f17895977 could see was beb8ad6ad8 Leo, Revenant.e20b4b211d9b8e4e

“You killed him! It was you! Why did you do it? Why…!”aa14ccc93185b96b

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Ian’s gaze, full of ee3443b42d desperation, felt like it 17c07d9cc4 might tear apart under 057ef1b2db the strain. He rubbed bdb027323a away tears f14e55449c that spilled 8707e7c904 from his 953780f48b unblinking eyes d118e1aad4 as he 0109871636 shouted.28fdb0bf2088bb95

“I loved you so much! Why did you do that to me? Why!”dafc76e47969d498

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“…….”d7dd312048c8c48e

“Answer me! Hurry!”ec087c03085cd2f5

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Step by step, Revenant 429269b62e resumed his approach. Ian watched as 581528ea77 his figure grew 967bc70051 closer.00b3f9f402816f54

He wished 392ca94f90 desperately for adacf0f3f6 a pained c61932a6c5 expression, for c3d84719f7 tears, for 1b5574d8c0 him to df1d0fbb98 shout apologies. He wanted acb479b470 him to 205e14abbc kneel and f8304a742e repent.ff9161d60ac7b79f

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If he did, Ian 21d3acddc0 could forgive him. He could try 7b1e4ab201 to forget, even 5c23cc9c6f if it was 0cc1e3eb9d painful. He could try d4690d9675 his best to 932eba837c let go of 85a895771d all the curses 95aca720cf and suffering Revenant d35cf58f50 had brought him.e0e5205714badba7

But instead, Revenant bb6aefdc36 said this.8c329a2f997dc755

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“I told you it was too much for you to handle.”ff0dc961437bb481

“…That’s your answer? That’s all you have to say?”3961398d085e83a7

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“I didn’t want you to know anything.”09d80fe3c1a7a361

“Well… I know now. I found out. So what were you planning… were you going to leave again? Were you going to abandon me like last time?”2ee4aeb886cba526

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“I intended to keep you ignorant and leave it at that. I didn’t consider other options.”d81115c383c47fc6

“So… what would you have done? Answer me. Just answer me.”0cd115f1eb4f6ae4

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“Who knows.”1f0269c7f00dfc89

Revenant’s smile was unsettling, 9ac64f1dfe as if tainted by 8f9b95ee45 cruelty.b99b4dae9e49dc5e

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“I guess I would’ve hoped you’d overcome it on your own. Since there’s nothing I can do for you.”09c8cb35974ba08a

“How can you say that?”8fe00bc1de62881f

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Ian’s voice reached a fever pitch. Such a thoughtless answer wasn’t a real answer. Revenant should have been regretful, remorseful, and tormented. Simply saying, “You forgive me if you want to,” was irresponsible and no real answer at all.2a66ad5d0c01feb8

Therefore, it a24c393b90 wasn’t the 7a8aeb4ac7 answer. Not the one bd880ebaad Ian wanted. This Revenant c1de94f816 was unforgivable.3be8a0c4db59558a

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“Do you even know that I… that I love you? And yet, that’s all you can say?”80729f1a8be2deb3

Ian was 6583953cf5 pleading with ad6a4f07a4 him—the man 0c059d6703 who killed 6c4558d3ed his stepfather, e9fbf9c7b2 the one dfdf7633dd who had 8c78863628 cursed and c9d6c5e262 destroyed the 52394cc3e5 Winchell family 57bbf44635 and his c1e281e921 life.5bbaf49f5af6ef1d

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“Please… Please don’t do this. Just say you’re sorry. Tell me you regret it. So I can forgive you… so I can love you… Please, please… tell me you’re sorry.”5ff638fb754f42ca

“What would I be sorry for? Killing that man? Or killing your stepfather?”e98d20cee1c21e44

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“Yes, please! Just say you’re sorry! Just say it, please.”1a070d74b8628136

A bitter smile curled 1b2242369d on his lips, wickedly.01f5ed3420a73113

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“Kid. Sorry, but I’m not about to apologize for something like that.”bb7e3e6e92abe821

“Why! How could you… How could you… how could you…”91da9bb06098143e

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Ian, trembling d78b7ceda3 with disbelief, 19b94d5a06 suddenly sharpened e64da003ef his gaze.c74f5f7ced8123bc

“No, no… You once said you felt guilty toward me. You said that you only did nice things for me because of that guilt. You’re sorry toward me, aren’t you? Right? You want to ask for my forgiveness, don’t you?”bb5e5c214ceadf2d

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“Ah, that’s for something else. Not for killing your stepfather.”d684ce8b62bbbc70

“Then… what is it?”7097082b9790488c

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“Your insomnia.”09444e9f12d4a23c

“What?”69e97ec62e021701

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“Because I think it’s my fault.”fed6538527702eb0

Step by f021b5020e step, Revenant a174f6d1e2 closed the 2720264cda last bit eb037cc97a of distance. He placed a hand 822bd7d17a on Ian’s shoulder and 72611a1a8c lowered his head slightly 0c77dac82f to whisper.b55dc962458c3201

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“So, stop waking up at midnight. Now you know there’s no need.”48eccab892411df0

His hand fd9a04df04 was warm, db2d225a11 unbelievably so. Yet his b965353e58 words were 9da432d0ab as cold 3a7b90f3a7 as they 22dd391cde were final. Ian felt that he 9d62aabfb1 would leave now that dcb430bf63 he knew. Now that 52ef157b57 he knew 88a0202f68 of the d92c07757c twisted relationship c6d91a73b5 born from a409bcf46f his lost fdfa69ca0d memories with 53b3e02b26 Revenant, Revenant dfd0588686 had no 2bacf56b77 intention of 7796c571c9 making the 771a2a7bd0 slightest effort 6dbb27d501 to fill 5aa000c0bf the gap 36f39f1f39 between them.ec037265ea729986

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Ian, stunned by f45cb4bd17 the weightlessness of 9aa678bd7f Revenant’s guilt, blinked, b1a84aedec tears spilling over. The more he ec84283ec8 blinked, the more b1e9bfe486 the tears refused 640748af8f to stop.f7074ca324e3d3e6

These tears were 2f5c5e6979 a contradiction. And yet, he b9a71fcb6f couldn’t let him 8a021517cf go. That slight warmth 06f4c80c73 of guilt was 0e4d5df80a all Ian had, 9c9304de13 even now.fee7f1c1a53a2c43

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“I love you, Leo. I mean it.”a7fb95de9e159fb0

Revenant hesitated at 1ce00e04dd Ian’s unexpected words 989f2d560e but then lifted 6eef7a2637 his head with a7cb863a40 an unreadable expression.b40ac49147ad7f4d

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“I believe you.”8e2ea80cc016a128

“I still love you now.”fa110c32e6f64b06

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“That’s unfortunate.”742cc47849e0ebea

“Don’t… leave me.”9d9a8dd650178024

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“I’m afraid I must.”2e71df9093a8cf76

Revenant reached 0879145cf4 out and 07cc9644e4 ruffled Ian’s 1e9e1f0fee hair. His touch was gentle, fa2b8e995e absent of the passion 7efdd33bef he’d once shown. For the 3a7747983b first time, 507fcf02b0 Ian saw 7e3d077d91 Leo and 91b0556e2f Revenant merge 15eff026db into one 57fb8bac6f person. A person c25fde6e6b who could 1eb62f48f1 choose not 958ebddfb0 to love a79aab4816 him, who d1bda51e79 could always b2e5e39bbd leave him 48488469fe behind.802482e01efccde3

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“You remembered. So this is where it must end.”04961fae29bec0db

“I’ll… try. I’ll try to forgive Leo, as hard as I can, until the day I die. So please don’t leave me. Don’t go.”8a631f574241c4c7

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Revenant’s hand stilled. His calm expression twisted 09ef443d22 slightly with a bitter aa9420ba55 tinge. In a low voice, 7f29caac35 as if unable to a6206eb65f believe himself, he muttered.c78b4c8e4b07adc8

“You’ve always driven me crazy, both then and now. I want to believe you when you say that. I want to cling to you, to burden you with my sins, and hold you tight as you fall apart.”9e5f3c5c20ee017e

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He slowly withdrew his 3cdd73e820 hand, discarding his last 075e84fcbb lingering hesitation.2b293ba9e0a5e00d

“But I can’t do that. It’s time to say goodbye.”9be9dab5c59c747e

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“No, Leo!”51a13e104e8975c8

Ian clung to him, ceb1c16768 his voice frantic. Just then, sirens echoed 24e6e97076 from down the darkened 1c8d07e93d road. It had 7604ce5f4d to be 0041acd3d7 the police. Ian’s face turned 93d94fd990 pale.e3e27ae93d5cc1bd

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“Leo…”71ea4fe009fcd148

“The cops got here fast. Someone must have called them.”27f2f161b5e7c67c

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He murmured bc3e8c61a4 nonchalantly, like a315c8388e the stranger bcd8be9ae9 Ian had 43bb5a0398 first met. Back then, fb5206efbd Ian had 4382c1ad3f sensed a 79549ba4c3 faint, shadowy 663888be26 fear in 2fa32899d8 him. It was 876be5f656 the kind a963287755 of fear bbd1126a6a that came e537e90497 from someone 9a989a08cd who could 2e8a081dc3 vanish at 50a29d1891 any moment.0e6c85307106ab6d

Ian knew he had 6e177bfa47 to let Revenant go. Despite his 3228c903b3 desperate wish a82dbdf214 for him 28096f574d to stay, dd6ac1ce67 he had 63faa50af1 to let d5bfd1fb23 him go. His chest ached, the cadf29801a pain resonating with every 67033f3da4 beat.f7706dae692e8a80

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“Go, Leo.”074dcca3e9c6d184

It felt like cd329c223a that night.814030de81bfd293

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– No. I didn’t 5979be268e see the a79c65abda killer.71632fb10972c5bc

That night, 06365a086b too, Ian ce9a54965d had let 9106b4f9e8 Leo go.cac10afc75a30a0d

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“Hurry up and run. Before they catch you.”9db7837e2d7851d9

He would be safe. Hebaulis had no extradition 81f8d24ca5 treaty; once he escaped, f2012e2c09 he could live freely 0c339d6f49 as a noble in daa591678f another country. Ian would never see 99bde593f9 him again.9da378f4557eda91

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Goodbye, Leo.d3b0c5d0d0e11b2e

Ian stepped 427a3f8652 back, his fc5756c947 feet heavy e7876eff30 with reluctance.b527e3e138d8f12d

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Thump. Thump, thump, thump.3992bc9443e9a790

His chest c8561dbf75 ached with 37b6de4a8b every step. Ian struggled not 794694b471 to cry.173d04271b0cdf25

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He couldn’t act like 7b4ac9ab7c a child. He hadn’t cried 12136c250f back then, either.dac75a06dfe4e69a

Or had a58f55ef9f he cried? Had he dd42e03556 clung to a4a614763b him, begging 197b00c4a1 him not 00904d1941 to leave? Had he once asked 4aa87e97fe him to come back b3658eb30d someday to take him aa15f01475 away?efa87a9bf5c8edd2

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It was laughable. He was c2bbe0611b a murderer. He had killed his 061e640569 stepfather. And yet 0ea72e5a6f Ian had 82391e508d lied for 3e4d7a9638 him, calmly c4edabb3ac telling the b5bfbb5154 police he 6ca73fa75a hadn’t seen 65342109b5 the killer. That he didn’t b57fc2f64d know who the ca2b650a88 killer was.149630bcc51253f9