Chapter 4: Hiding

BEGINNING~

"Having to escape from that cell wasn't too hard." Tear says letting out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, I guess." Hakken glances behind him.

Right now Tear and Hakken have made it out of the dungeon after defeating the guard in there. They are currently searching for a safe place to hideout. While the confused guards search for them inside the palace they are outside running from tree to tree hiding.

"Come on run faster!" Hakken yells to Tear standing under the next tree.

Tear dashes over to Hakken in a scramble and bumps into him.

Tear is on top of Hakken.

The two interlock eye contact.

Tear's heart skips a beat.

"You got a death wish? Move." Hakken shifts his eyes away from Tear.

"Ah uh no!" Tear quickly backs off him.

A bit of blush can be seen on Hakken's face.

(Tears Thoughts)

"ah what was that?"

"I'm a nut job aren't I?"

"Remember this guy is a demon, not a human no matter what he does or how he acts he's not human!"

-end of thoughts-

"Come on let's keep going, if we stop now it's all over!" Hakken encourages Tear.

"You're right!" Tear runs a bit quicker.

The two reach the castle gate and slip through without alarming the guards. By this time it's already very late into the night almost early morning.

Tear lets out an exhausted yawn. Hakken looks at her concerned.

"Are you tired?" Hakken asks while running.

"huff huff, I am pretty tired. I'm guessing we can't take any breaks?" Tear implores.

"Uh no. Let's rest over at that tree over there." Hakken walks over to it and sits down.

Tear joins Hakken under the tree.

"...I have a question for you." Hakken states.

"Uh ask away!" Tear responds.

"Your name, why are you called Tear? Is that not the liquid that comes from somebody's eyes when sad?" Hakken asks.

"It is, but tears can also come out when somebody is happy. My mother said she couldn't decide upon a name but when I was born she was crying tears of joy. I think she decided then to name me this. Not as a sad tear but a happy one." Tear replies.

"That is very meaningful." Hakken sees Tear's name in a new light now.

"Yeah." Tear smiles.

"So, Tear do you have a dream? Something you want to do? You know like after we find a safe place?" Asks Hakken.

"Hmmm... well I did want to become a noble, but I give up on that. I rather rejoin with my family and friends now." Tear answers.

"Why do you give up so suddenly?" Hakken grabs a stick and begins drawing something in the dirt.

"Well, that's because I saw the king of this country. If I were to reach my goals, become a noble, and live a life full of spoil I would probably end up like him. I want not to join the problem, but instead, be part of the answer that solves it." Tear says confidently.

"That's an amazing goal," Hakken says as he drops the stick and finishes his dirt drawing.

"Do you have a goal?" Tear looks over to Hakken.

"I do," says Hakken.

"Then would you mind telling me what it is?" Tear's eyes suddenly are that of a begging dog.

"It's a hopeless one." Hakken grabs the stick again and crosses out his dirt drawing.

"Whys that?" Tear tilts her head.

"Because I've tried it before and failed. How do you think I ended up in that dungeon?" Hakken throws the stick across the field.

"How exactly did you end up in that dungeon then, you said you were six when you first got there right?" Tear asks.

"I made a mistake. I did something I shouldn't have." Hakken turns his head towards the ground.

"What do you do?" Tear looks at him concerned.

"I tried to... I tried to make friends with someone I shouldn't have." Hakken's eyes glow golden and he punches the ground and tears run down.

Tear is shocked for a moment but decides to comfort him.

"Listen, I don't know what happened to you but, I think you have suffered." Tear reaches over and hugs him from behind.

Hakken looks up at her face. Their faces are only inches apart. Tear blushes and moves away quickly.

(Tear's thoughts)

"I've gone and done it again!"

"What's up with me? There is no way what I just did was okay. Ahhh, Tear you, big dummy!"

-end of thoughts-

Tear turns her head over to see Hakken's expression. It seems that Hakken is smiling!?

"Thank you. I appreciated your hug." Hakken gets up and walks towards Tear.

"Ah what are you-" Tear is cut off by a hug from Hakken.

"I just thought I should return the favor," Hakken says as he backs away.

Torches can be seen in the distance.

"Over there look! People!" Tear points.

"Looks like we better get moving." Hakken starts running.

Tear runs quickly after him. Jumping from tree to tree the two are practically unnoticeable. That is if the pursuers are normal humans.

Three men seem to be leading the hunt for Tear and Hakken.

"ACHOO!" One of the leading pursuing men sneezes.

"Eww is it just me or are just you always sick, Gilbert?" The second leading man turns his horse away from the sneezing man.

"No, I just caught a cold, Giles." Says Gilbert.

"Both of you quiet we are demon hunters hired by the king, not a circus." The third one states.

"Yeah, I know big brother, Gillian." Says Giles.

The three together are the demon hunter triplets. They are infamous for their hunting skills.

"Hey, brother over there you see those shadows?" says Gilbert pointing at a tree.

"Oh yeah I do just fine in this early morning light, No I don't so explain!" Giles turns over in the tree's direction.

"Well, I thought I saw some shadows moving even though there is no wind." Gilbert looks a bit angry at Giles.

"If what you're saying isn't a mistake then..." Giles looks closer at the tree.

"We have probably found them. Men! Down there we go!" Gillian orders his men and his brothers to follow.

Tear and Hakken were indeed behind that tree. They were in a state of panic thinking of how to escape. But it seemed that it was already too late for that.

END OF CHAPTER~