The Voodoo Doll

Chapter XXXIV: Betrayal

"Someone from school" , he answered absent-mindedly.

"My name is Honoka '' , the angel curtsied, lifting her mini-skirt a little. It was an odd thing to do, but the boy paid her no mind as he settled on one of the long chairs, waiting for a bowl of ramen to pass by so he could grab it and start eating right away.

It was almost lunch time. He needed to clear his thoughts over a full stomach, didn't he?

The image of Hitori crossed his mind. Despite telling her that he was going back to his parents' home, he couldn't help but stop by the ramen shop to collect himself. He still wasn't mentally prepared to see his mother. He hadn't even been there to console her. What could he have done? What was she feeling right now? Noah didn't understand the concept of loss. He never even had someone he cherished so much before, until Hitori came.

Now, Noah had someone to protect, someone to preserve by his side.

It was such a fragile thing to keep, yet so thrilling, so filling that it warmed the coldest corners of his rusted heart.

He only wanted himself and Hitori to be safe, away from untrustworthy creatures that used them for their own benefits. Away from war, away from death. He was ready to sacrifice his powers for it. The thought itself surprised him. Since when did he long for peace? Since when did he value life so much ?

He knew his wishes would never come true unless he fully uncovered the details of the past. Only then will he have the best weapon to fight against those powerful creatures that are angels and demons: information.

Think, Noah. Think.

What are you overlooking?

The bowl of ramen arrived before he could pick up the wooden chopsticks resting on the hard table.

The boy picked up half the egg and put it in his mouth. It tasted sweet and salty at the same time, the yolk melting on his tongue first.

Next to him, Honoka fidgeted in her seat, unsure what dish to choose. He ignored her, swallowed inside the whale of his thoughts.

It all started when his parents suddenly decided to send him to school. That day, a mysterious man Noah has never seen before came to their house. The boy knew that the man was on their side, because he left the house indemn. Usually, when cops or citizens come in, they make their way down to the basement and never come back up.

Now that Noah thought about it, it was most likely another demon. A higher ranked one at that.

After he had left, the boy was called to the living room and informed with the news.

You will be starting high school, solely to study humans' behavior in order to conquer their minds.

On that same day, Noah killed his father and ran away to this house. His mother didn't follow him, no cops seemed to come to question him. Not even demons looked for him.

He kept going to school after that, for two weeks, until Hitori came. Up until then, he only thought of Honoka as an ordinary high school girl. A cheerful existence that did not interest him the least bit.

Then, she did what she did, wanting both orphans, with similar life experiences, to meet and join forces. She might even have stayed hidden that day, watching their every move from a distance, trying to figure out how to meddle more with their lives.

Then, she reappeared in Hitori's Orphanage. The two teenagers went there in order to figure out the girl's past, unbeknownst to them that it was a trap, they fell right into it. Honoka protected both of them, leaving the last star role to Hitori. The ocean-haired teenager saved Noah from death. The strange thing was how Honoka seemed to appear at the exact opportune moment, just when he was about to be dissected by a demon blinded by her own sense of revenge.