A Moonlit Mask

*Pant Pant*

S-Sounds of her exotic breathing resonated within my tingling blushing ears.

My focus was averting from a specific situation to this unavoidable attention-seeking sight.

I can hear her panting getting slower and slower as my eyes are staring de-deeper and deeper.

I can't believe I'm currently seeing such an erotic scene.

As I swallowed my saliva I began imagining other kinds of "liquids."

My gaze shifts in sync with those drops of sweat traveling from her forehead to her huge breasts and eventually on her below.

At the time my eyes arrived at her perspiring cle-cleavage, my mind began spinning crazily as something below rises surprisingly faster than my sister's blood pressure level.

That something which is rising is certainly not the Shield Hero.

Just like a crow waiting for the right time to eat some eggs, it persistently waits as its hunger grew more and more.

But in this situation, it's more like waiting for t-two large dumplings to be eatable.

Finally. My eyes arrived "there".

Wearing gym clothes so fit I began imagining seeing "its" lining bare skin wet...

And... this "liquid" imagination too... Wh-What if those sweats in her breasts are my se-

"Hah~ You 'kay, kiddo?"

"Ah!! Y-Yeah, I'm okay."

When she asked me that complex question, I suddenly came back to my senses.

"Ho~~"

Whether my breathing calmed down or not, my cautiousness and anxiety still live up to their meanings, being inflamed inside of me.

To this reality that we are currently facing, to hell with it.

Because here I am right now, beginning to lose a drop of my consciousness due to this chaotic dangerous scene.

Looking at the front as well as hiding and crouching behind this corner of the wall, those gun holes in that box surely is something fearing to look at.

As if hearing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata in its first movement, this is seriously... despairing to see.

Having a melancholic mood, murmuring of Oizys, an aching to help this lonely boy in the middle of the blue moon's night, it sure is like that.

Wait, lonely? No, I'm not. That's why this song fits perfectly because there's this sense of relief, like having this woman by my side.

As well as the anticipation of the next things that will now on happen out of trying to open Pandora's box.

Just like welcoming the second movement of the song, she commanded fiercely.

"Hey focus, kiddo!!"

Here it is. The woman I described spoke out with her inclosed deep raspy voice.

Sensing some graceful pattern of hope for her being at my side, the second movement joyfully starts.

A root of liveliness. A glimpse of passion. A thirst for an amiable tomorrow.

"I'm always ready for your commands, Nightingale-sama."

"Sama? Are you a Japanese or something?"

"No, I just like light novels and mangas."

"Well, that certainly is a clue for your real identity."

R-Real Identity? Does she want to know my re-

"Let's stop with the chit-chat. I'm going in after three seconds. Kiddo, follow me."

"Y-Yes!!"

And now, from all of that lively spirit that the second movement had brought upon the night, the last movement will finally start just as Nightingale's commands echo all over my veins.

There's an aisle in the front, separating two sides.

We're in a situation where we are surrounded by the escape path. At the right side of us is a wall, and at the left side are those shits.

There may be a narrow line straight up ahead at the back and to the front, they still lead to the escape route.

Well, I can't say that it is the escape route anymore because they are likely waiting in there already.

And of course, we won't escape. Because it is our "errand" to kill someone with them.

So there's only one way. Fight.

Under the blistering full moon residing at the cloudless sky, being reflected by none other than its azuring light, and delivering a sound of a calm silent night, a word that will bring either one of the two contrasting paths of life is already being expected by my shivering ears.

"1...2..."

Whilst hiding from the corner of it, she counted as she stood up facing the wall, which up ahead are the enemies from the left side of my view at the time.

Readying herself as she gripped tightly on her handgun with her two unwavering hands, she opened her mouth as if beginning to say her commands to me.

And I mean it. I thought her voice as she said it is like one of an angel's. Holy.

"GO!"

I mean holy shit!! I might die because I just heard a voice of an angel!!

She jumps sideways towards the right that is separated from the aisle and fires her handgun mid-air.

*BANG BANG BANG-*

Continuous spiking sounds of different kinds of guns resonated all over the place explosively.

The exchange of gunfire gave me a sense of focus and a feeling of excitement.

"TATAKAEE~~"

As she did that, I followed to attack as well.

And now, the third movement of the Moonlight Sonata starts.

*BANG*

--------------------------------------------

"Hah~~," I thought we were dead.

Here we are, after a breathtaking clash, only half an hour had passed.

"It's done, kiddo."

And yet another battle under the moonlight ended with us claiming the victory.

It's over. I want to sleep here and now.

"Grahgh!! Thank god I'm alive~~"

"What do you mean, "I'm"?"

Her voice came back with its usual calm demeanor.

"Haha, sorry sorry, Nightingale."

And of course, mine as well.

Why not? I completed hearing the song in my mind without missing a part.

Suddenly,

"Oh, there's a bloodstain in your mask. Let me wipe that for you."

Nightingale's hand reaches up to my forehead as she pushes her thumb in a wiping manner in the mask that covers my face.

As she went close to me her breasts eventually bumped into my upper chest, me being smaller than her...

Boing. I could hear it in my mind echoing again and again.

It's like she did it intentionally.

And before going back she whispered to my reddish right ear.

"Thanks for the help."

"Huk~"

My mind went blank for a second when I felt the sensation of her breath as she said it.

She went away.

"Now that it looks clean, I forgot how cool your mask is, kiddo."

Wh-What the... that's it? I thought something was up. I even blushed... a little.

No no!!! It's certain that she has a lover already!! And wait, I'm still young!!

... Let's just reply with the right words.

"Haha, with that blue hair that you have, your enchanted-looking silver masquerade mask fits very well as well, Nightingale."

"Well, time for us to separate now. See you."

"Yes!! Until next time."

Then after some time she walked away and began vanishing from my site.

I feel sleepy~

And so I also walked yet in an opposite direction as hers.

"Where is this again? Ah right, in..."

-----------------------------------

"Wah~~ It sure is cold walking in the middle of the night~"

Minutes had passed since I began walking.

It's so peaceful now. Unlike earlier, which was complete chaos.

"I wonder if Nightingale already arrived at her destination?"

Well, if it's her, then no gangsters or something like that could ever hit a blow.

I knew Nightingale since I was in grade school.

It was basically an accident.

We may know each other, but we don't know each other's real identities. Even until now.

"I had a mask that time. Was it a Jabbawockeez's mask? I can't remember it clearly."

But without a doubt, I still remembered that she also had one. And rather than running away from that dangerous scene, I helped her instead.

Anyways, it was a really long day. Longer than this, as to speak.

Well, many things happened at that time. That was a definition of hell.

And at the end, all I realized was that I had her contact number.

She said to me to be a good fighter. And on the time that I felt like I am, I'll call her with the number she had given.

Why couldn't I forget such a thing?

Because since then, I could never forget that encounter...

The only time I had ever seen her face.

That smile... Those caring eyes of hers...

I may have forgotten her full facial appearance, but I know for sure that she was a goddess.

"But I can't believe she wanted me to become her sidekick at arms. Pathetic."

Pathetic? Well, it certainly is not for me.

Now I run errands with her, I get a good amount of money.

"Money, huh..."

Because here I am with the current situation I and my family have, trying our best to pay off our mother's increasing medical fees since years ago so that when she'll finally heal, things will get back to what it was and we will be happy again.

Happy...

"Ahhh~~ Just thinking about that..."

My mother had an accident when I was in my second year at high school. It brought her to a coma since then. And until now, we are waiting for her to wake up.

So when that time will finally come, I want her to not feel absolute guilt and that we will be free from debt and focus on being happy again instead.

"... I hope so."

Not just having hope will clear things. I also need to work hard, in connection with hope.

"I'll do my very best. So I hope you will do your best to fight and wake up as well, mom..."

-----------------------------------

"Where have you been again?! Huh!! Brother... WHERE WERE YOU?!"

Oh no, this again. This came again. This situation which can't even be described as just "hell", happens yet again.

What did I say about that time again? The accidental encounter with Nightingale? To hell with it!! This is more than that!!

...Let's just say that she's my "caring" sister.

"Do you think of the things that might happen to you, huh, brother?"

Actually, she is...?

"Tch, if you want to die, then it is when after we don't have this medical bill anymore!!"

*BANG*

She slammed the medical bill to the table with her right hand.

"Look at this!! Look at this, brother!! It increased so much!!"

"Huh? Isn't it..."

"Isn't it what?!!"

"... Nothing..."

I mean, I don't even have a clue about anything in connection with that...

I should study about that more... Tsk, why did I forget to study about it?!

Standing as I look at below, bowing, I gripped my hands while thinking about the possible broken future.

... Broken?

"Hah~ Sorry, it's pointless to overthink about it, brother Maleine."

"Yeah. I'm sorry too, Ayvie."

Ayvianna, my 16-year old younger sister, is a second-year in senior high school. She works part-time at a library to help with the increasing debt.

I can't deny having her to help.

Instead, I really need a helping hand.

I want her to focus on her studies since she's very smart.

But how? How when the two of us are the only ones that are left with our mother?

No aunties nor uncles. No cousins. No... father.

"Dad..."

This... is hard, dad...

"He's already gone, brother. I know that we can't still accept this fully, but we can't do anything as well..."

She sat in the chair and leaned her hands on the table. With her elegant short black hair, she leaned her head at the table as well. Feeling worn out as she scratches her right brown eye.

"But brother, we can't give up, right? This is not just for mother but for father as well."

Why can't we? Why can't we give up, huh?

It's already obvious. It's already a common thing.

... We love them.

"Haiz. If I can only find another part-time job that pays a greater amount of money."

... A greater amount of money? What a joke I had said. Where can I find a job where it pays more than this life-risking one that I have right now?

What logic is that? Is there a job that pays more than that?

"What da fuc..."

"Shh!! Language, brother!! Also, what is your part-time job anyway? Since months ago you want to stop going to university. If you can say it to me, then I'll think about accepting you to not study anymore."

My sister, who is a very resilient person, wanted me to continue studying like her until the last point; until graduating college.

I want to finish studying as well. I want to be a professor like "that" person.

... Well, it's not "want" anymore but "wanted".

"My part-time job? Ah, it's just running some errands."

"Errands? Brother... Don't tell me..."

She shows a disgusted face, hiding it next with the medical bill.

Wait... Does she think it's...

"No no!! It's not illegal or something!!"

It's true that it's not illegal but it surely is dangerous!! I can't just say this to her, she might try and stop me!! If so, then where can I get some money?!

"... Okay. I trust you, brother. I'll always trust you even if you won't say it to me."

"S-Sorry..."

"No, you don't have to. You must have a reason to not do so."

"Y-Yeah..."

Yes!! Very smart move, sister!!

"Anyways. I'm sleepy. Goodnight, brother."

"A-Ah. Goodnight as well."

As we exchanged our goodnight greetings, she went upstairs, obviously to her room.

We have a two-story house.

My part-time job pays well. With my sister's help also, it should cover most of the hospital fees.

But no, it's much likely not. It's always not enough because it's increasing as the days go by.

And we may not go back to our normal every day, but we still need to live where we can at least do and have the basic necessities.

So our balance pays it 70/30 with paying the hospital fee as the higher end.

"... I miss mom's curry."

-----------------------------------

After drinking a glass of water, I went up to my room as well.

Just as I began lying on the bed I held up my mask in the air.

"Looking at it, this mask killed many people already."

If ever my sister will know about me and my little part-time job, then how will she react?

No way, you killer!! That's literally how she'll react.

"I mean, it's true that I'm a killer. But I don't want to see her eyes full of disgust and fear from me..."

I hope that time won't come.

"A lie... I sure was a hypocrite in some ways..."

Before I knew it, I was already lying. When I was a kid I always hated people that lie.

But then as time went by a realized that people couldn't deny doing it.

"Because some lies are actually better if it's kept hidden."

Minutes passed, I feel sleepy.

And I don't know why, but I feel a little tipsy as well...

"Ah, right... That woman offered me a shot in the beer in her backpack just after we finished the fight...

Why just now...? Why appear... late any...way?

It's actually affecting my thoughts...

"With a girly appearance; with a girly face and a slim body despite a well-built one; with a little bit of effort in learning to speak in a cute, girly voice... If... If I wear a wig and a maid outfit, th-then... can... can I work in a maid cafe as... an...additional pay...check...?"

And before I finally slept, I have said some last words that I couldn't really understand.

"N-No... Not... like... there's a maid cafe that pays... a huge... sum... of money... anyway..."

So there I realized, that I'm actually a greedy one.

Well,

"Time... is... more than... gold..."

Because it's priceless in the first place.