After all the chaos,
one of the gang members silently led me to Chiori.
She was sitting on the cold floor,
bruised, lips split, her school uniform torn.
She didn't look like the Chiori I knew.
She looked broken.
Exhausted.
Humiliated.
Those bastards had taken out their frustration on her after their plan fell apart.
I took her.
Just walked over and lifted her from the ground.
Didn't ask if she could walk.
I knew she couldn't.
But she did.
Step by step, right beside me.
— I-I'm sorry, Fio... — she whispered.
— I really wanted to tell you everything…
I really was starting to fall for you... I-I'm sorry...
Huh?
Why is she apologizing?
She was just a pawn, forced to play a role.
Trying to survive isn't betrayal.
— Yeah… yeah. It's okay. — I nodded, walking on.
— By the way… about your past. Who are you really, Chiori?
She hesitated for a second, as if unsure where to begin.
Then she exhaled:
— I… grew up in an orphanage.
Got adopted when I was twelve.
I thought it was my chance.
The dad was middle-class, the mom—kind and smart.
We lived peacefully.
Happily.
I thought… maybe life had finally turned around.
She went quiet, then continued in a much softer, almost cracking voice:
— But one day, everything changed.
Dad started drinking.
His business collapsed.
He came home… and hit us.
Me and Mom.
Every day.
We didn't know what to do.
But Mom came up with a plan.
We'd run away when he was out.
We took what money we could from the safe…
Her hand tightened around mine.
— We were almost out the door…
Then someone knocked.
Mom didn't check the peephole.
Just opened it.
Stupid…
I heard her voice breaking.
— It was men. With guns.
They were speaking into radios.
Someone told them:
"Target — the wife of Chiakione. Miore Sakione."
They killed my mom right on the doorstep.
Stabbed her through the heart.
Didn't even flinch.
Then into the radio:
"Both targets neutralized."
Even though I… survived.
She looked at me,
pain crashing behind her eyes—years of fear, guilt, loneliness all tangled together.
— After that…
I buried my mom.
And my dad.
Lived off the last of the money.
That's it, Fio.
That's who I really am.