Hitomi: And I’m back! *SHOT* OW! What?!

Anyway, writer’s block has decided to become a royal pain in the ass to me, hence lack of updates in YnH: AR. These days I’ve been struggling with it, but I think it may be because of my emotions going up and down lately.

So, I’ve a new story idea that I want to get down before anyone else thinks about it. And I’m collaborating with my good friend, JD, on this idea since we’re both suffering through writer’s block Hell.

Here we go!

Guardian Devil

Duty I

Unraveling Fate

(Slowly, the threads weave your fate…)

In a world as busy as this, there are people who go on with their every day lives. Working, going to school, doing errands, and other things; they all show that everyone has their own things to do and, because of this, they go on with busy lifestyles.

It was a beautiful day, the light scent of the morning rain still lingering in the air. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing, and the birds are singing… What could possibly go wrong with this day?

Amidst the crowded streets in the city, however…

“Get back here, you bitch!”

“We’re going to kill you!”

“Don’t think we’ll let you off easily, not after what you did to us!”

There are incidents like this that occur.

The sounds of running and shoes were clomping onto the concrete, splashing into some puddles that have scattered here and there from drying up under the sun. The rough, masculine voices belonged to three men who were pursuing their target, still screaming threats and vulgarities.

The one being chased was a girl in her mid-teens; wearing a black and blue halter top with black cargo pants, white sneakers pounding into the ground. Light brown and auburn red hair blew into the wind, long bangs at the front but short, neck length hair at the back. Blue grey eyes looked serious, considering the situation she was in, but the girl continued on thinking how she would be able to make it out of this alive.

“Ugh, how do I always end up in these situations? Honestly…” The girl mumbled under her breath, shaking her head as she clucked her tongue.

My name is Naomi Kitagawa and I’m seventeen-years-old, attending school as a college student. As you can see… Well, these circumstances have already given away the obvious. I’m being chased by thugs.

Still trying to outrun the muggers, Naomi spotted a familiar alley. Deciding to change direction, she quickly turned left and still continued on dashing away.

No choice but to go through here! She thought, passing by buildings. Thank goodness that this is also a shortcut to my way home!

Slowing down her pace, she looked behind her to see if there was still someone following her. There was no sound of footsteps and there was not a person in sight. With relief, she ducked behind a building wall that was part of one of the intersections in the alley, her back leaning against the wall as she was panting.

In the meantime, I can rest here a bit. I may be safe, but this is not the time to relax.

Sighing, she opened up the olive green bag that was slung onto her right shoulder, taking out a water bottle as she drank it, replenishing herself because of having perspired from that dash.

After putting the now ¾ emptied bottle into her bag and still keeping herself hidden for a long period of time, Naomi peeked from the wall, looking both ways of the intersection.

All right, I think it may be safe to come out because it’s been quiet. There’s no way they would through h—

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.”

Eyes widening, she turned around, backing away as she found one thug that was not too far away from her.

“Shit…!”

“Hey! She’s over here!”

The other two appeared at the other paths, smirking. One even had a switchblade in his hand.

“You know, if you didn’t do that to us, we wouldn’t have been hunting you down like this.” The first thug said, coming closer to her.

“What do you mean?” She growled, using her bag as some sort of shield. “You wanted to pick a fight with me earlier, right? You’re just sore losers that won’t accept the fact you lost to a female!”

“The Hell we were, you idiot!” The second one looked really angry, slashing his switchblade in the air animatedly as if to further show off his emotions.

“…Eh?” Naomi looked very confused; though, she was still clinging onto her bag.

“We were not picking a fight with you, moron, we were trying to hit on you! But then, you got pissed off when one of us said something and you kicked our asses because of it!” The third one protested.

“Ummm… Ooops. Was that what it was?” She grinned sheepishly, not knowing this at all. “I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!”

So, this was a misunderstanding all along… That happens a lot…

“Too late to say ‘sorry,’ bitch! Either you give us your money or you’ll die here!”

The three of them were surrounding her now, making her back away even further until her back pressed onto the wall.

Holding her hands up in surrender, letting her bag drop, Naomi suggested with a nervous grin, “Now, now… Everyone, let’s try to talk this out…”

Damn it… What should I do now? I’m cornered. She mused grimly, her brain wracking thoughts on solutions on how to get out of this mess.

“You should’ve thought of that earlier!”

“We already said that it’s too late to make nice ties with us!”

“Nobody will even know you died.”

Shit, I have to—

She tried to run away again, but one of them grabbed her arm, tightening his grip.

“Let’s see how you get out of this one, missy.” The third thug smirked, still grasping onto her arm. “Either your money or your life.”

Naomi struggled, but it was no use.

“Then,” the second one grinned darkly, lifting her chin up by his switchblade. “It’s time for you to die here and—”

What happened next was all a blur that the four could not even comprehend.

Darkness finally revealed light as Naomi groaned, rubbing her head.

“What happened? Did I die and go to Heaven…?” She winced, feeling a headache coming on.

Reality had finally settled in as her surroundings told her she was still in the alleyway, her body onto the floor. Blinking, taking all of this in, she slowly sat up and looked around.

“Huh…? I-I’m alive… I’m really alive… Thank God…” She sighed loudly in relief, almost ready to cry but shuddering at the very thought of having her life on the line at that one moment.

Save for a cut on her cheek, nothing threatening happened to her. But there was something unsettling about the atmosphere unlike earlier’s tense one.

“How did I end up on the floor?” She now realized this, feeling unease tightening her stomach as she slowly got up. “If I remember right, I was about to be done for by those hoodlums right over t—”

Naomi’s eyes widened once more, mouth dropped open. The hooligans that were going to murder her were now on the floor, knocked out cold.

Hastily grabbing her bag, she hightailed out of the alley, escaping to go home before they could wake up.

What happened?! What just happened?! Shock turned into alarm and fear; obviously, Naomi was freaking out about the whole spectacle. I don’t even remember how it just came to that!

What… What have I done?! How was I able to make it out of there alive?!

But, she was trying to calm down, in spite of this. There’s one thing that bothers me…

“Before this happened… I saw a figure earlier.” She frowned now in thought, closing her eyes while trying to recall; in her blurry memory, she could only remember a tall silhouette standing on one of the shops’ rooftops, red eyes filled with amusement. “I don’t remember the face or what this certain person looked like… But all I could tell was that it was male and he had red eyes.”

Could that person… Be the one who saved me from them?

Stopping, she looked back and forth as if conflicted. To go back home or to look for this figure whom she may not be able to meet ever again. Which would it be?

“It’s not like I have anything better to do at home. It’s been boring these days because everything’s like a routine now.” Naomi sighed, one hand on her hip. “Well, I’ve already made my mind up, and there’s no turning back.”

Time to go look for that person who was there and ask what he did to help me! Turning right in the labyrinth-like alleyway, she was the pursuer now in this dilemma.

Hitomi: Well, how did you like it so far?

*grins* Look forward to Chapter II, boys and girls! The male lead is going to show up!