𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 // 𝐒𝐏𝐘 𝐱 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘

Chapter 4

Once, Kei thought, she could speak. That was a long time ago. She doesn't remember much before then. But she thought, if she strained her mind, she thought she could hear a voice. It was the most loveliest in the world. And so gentle. With a kindness as rare as gold in the cruel world Kei knew.

"Oh Kei, darling. I do so love you." The person, her mother, Kei thought, had whispered. And these were words that never left her.

And she thought, if she put her entire focus into that one memory, she thought she had heard a little babbling voice of an infant. Herself, she believed.

So Kei wondered. She wondered and wondered for a day when she would gain her own voice back.

She was sitting in darkness. The world outside was passing but she did not wish to wake up. Here was a better place.

Distantly, she thought she could hear quiet murmurs of conversation. And a bang? A gunshot? Well, no matter. Dying wouldn't make too much of a difference as of now.

In the darkness, Kei was calm.

And she waited.

For what she did not know.

She simply waited.

Waiting. Waiting. And W A I T.

"Wait!"

"Wait for me!" A familiar shout. A girl. Oh, sunshine, Kei realized. And from the darkness she resurfaced.

She was hanging off someone's shoulder. A man she did not know. For a moment she tensed. And then, she saw Anya. Anya was there. Anya was safe. She was okay. And she sighed in relief.

Then, she heard another familiar voice. A man. The man that she was supposed to call "father". He seemed to be having an inner dialogue... he was wearing a different face as of now. He was running with each of the sisters held on tightly. Wait... running?

This is a mistake. Risking everything by waltzing right into enemy territory... I'm not fit to be called a spy.

Kei raised an eyebrow. He seemed perfectly fine to her... She glanced over at Anya, only to be alarmed to see the girl near tears.

Papa...

While Kei only loosely held on to the spy's clothing, rather indifferent to the entire situation -heck, she didn't even know what that situation was! Anya held on to his clothes as if they were her lifeline. And her wide eyes. Her so, so innocent eyes... were glistening with tears.

It made Kei wonder what had happened during the time she had spent in the darkness.

Kei hesitantly leaned towards Anya and gave her a pat on the back. Anya's eyes widened even more. And then... she was full on bawling.

"PABWAAAAAAAAA!!!"

"H-Hey! It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you!" The spy in disguise was rather bemused by this sudden outburst. He looked over at the other sister. Kei. She was conscious again. Good.

"I'm not scared!" Anya burst out and then threw her arms around her savier, continuing to wail.

"WAAAHH... PABWAAAAA"

"...?"

Kei sweatdropped at the sight. Anya was acting so strangely... She then perked up as more of Loid's inner mutterings wandered into her mind. For some reason, she was particularly sensitive to the thoughts of Anya... and now, Loid.

More crying. This is exactly why I hate...

Oh.

So that's why I hate the sound of kids crying so much.

Because it dredges up memories of my own childhood. Alone and in despair, with no one offering to save me. Feeling so powerless that the only thing I could do was cry.

I thought I'd put the past behind me, but on a subconscious level, it's been there this whole time. I have this all backwards...

Upon hearing that, Kei couldn't help but slightly sympathize with the man. But she was still determined to hate him. Even if the smallest of parts of her thought that he was... pretty cool for an adult.

With a plop, he settled the two girls down on the pavement, having finally emerged from the building.

"Listen, girls."

"It's Anya! And Kei!" Ah... this brings back memories...

"Okay. Listen, Anya. You know the game "tag"? Me and my friends back there, we're pro tag players..." The fake bad guy -otherwise known as Loid in disguise- started babbling about something Kei did not bother listening to. It was obviously a lie. He pointed down the street, then held up a piece of paper. Kei tilted her head at that.

Was he seriously trying to get rid of them? Now, when they had, finally, found a home? Kei strained her mind to catch the rest of his thoughts.

... they'll put them in a better orphanage. I'll rework the mission. Figure out a way to do it that doesn't involve a kid.

Kei and Anya exchanged looks of mutual surprise and fear. They didn't want to leave... Not yet...

"Pa..." Anya began.

"REady, go! Hurry!" He interrupted. Kei lifted her hands up to say something, her feet firmly planted on the ground. But it was Anya, much to Kei's shock, that pulled away first, dragging her along.

And as they went, Kei looked back, barely catching his last thoughts.

Making a world where kids don't need to cry... That was the whole reason... I became a spy in the first place. He ripped off his mask and, with every step sure and confident, he strode back into the building.

Anya and Kei stared after him open mouthed. For the first time, the slightest hints of admiration filled Kei.

He... he really means that... doesn't he?

Anya, unintentionally reading Kei's thoughts, replied back in a soft voice. "Papa is the best like that. The best spy and best papa."