/Prologue/

He growls in pain. Something inside his abdomen was cried out in pain, begging him the slight mercy but that's not the main point.

Harshly as ever, he pulls tightly the pieces of outfits that wrapping around his broken upper arm using his greeted teeth. Supporting his arm to go forward.

Despite the bitter overload pain that crawling deeply in his mouth infected until his dying trachea, yet he dodged it off. The black metallic fluid is still trailing in the edge of his slices lips, He gulped it inside. He gulped the dark metallic liquid which he assumed as his own blood.

It tastes salty like when you're crunching the whole packet of the brand new salt. His mouth burned in the unbearable pain. He knows it well. He going through these multiple times already but this time he swore as the last one.

Want to know why?

Because this will be his final fight.

The moment he connected his black blade pass this purple-haired demon neck and it would be over. Finally, all of them will rest in peace.

With the determination filled in his fragile heart. His furious red eyes landed on a single figure in the front who's covered in blood.
The pair of red eyes also stare eagerly towards the young boy.

The demon's eyes burn in madness

He looks like he's ready to swallow the boy into his wounded stomach anytime soon. He needs to, he must to—or everything will be over, everything would be left in veins.

The albino boy who's his hair had been decorated with the blend of red color on the right side that started to spread to the other side of his hair. Somehow it mixing well with his pure white hair. Even with the tightest badges, a little drop of blood still passing out of it. Trailing on the side of the boy's arm and to the blood tainted ground. Joining the rest of his dry blood on the ground.

With the gingerly touch, he holds tightly his palm on the sword holder. His dry palm burning and exposed, showing his red burning skin. He sweats badly than ever, rapidly breathed in and out.

With the last long breath, he put down the pressure on his legs and charged towards the demon guy with the speed that can even surprise the God of lighting.

In order to slices of the demon neck

With every upcoming risk, he pushes his body forward, ignoring all the consequences of his action.

As the random thoughts slightly flinching on the boy's mind for a moment—the unforgettable memories.

Of his whole family dying after him. As his small body carrying his inject little brother to the medical that ended up brought to him the unexpected result.

His little brother was a demon

And his duty is to slay the demon.

He wonders how this all started again. When the started point of all of this.

With the broad smile, he slowly recalling back everything that happens until these moments now...

The moments when he can stand by himself, by his own foot.

In order to protect and hold dearly his lovely ones.

——————————

A few years ago...

"Mafu, can you help mom with something~", said the middle-aged woman, her long white hair was combed into the bun style. Her pure white faces smile gently on her older son. Her reflection assembles the kind-hearted mother. Her beauty surprise everything, and her kindness beyond the boundary.

The albino boy can only nodded in agreement. His cheerful 'yes' replied linked to his mother's eardrums. Her smile grew wider, patting his son's white hair.

"Than can you help me, send this bucket of charcoal to the old lady Iroha at the town, Can you my dear son?", She softly asked, pointing out at the single wooden bucket bag at the corner of the room.

With the rewarding smile across the albino face, he hummed the slight yes as a response. Approaching to the corner, He wore the bucket in his back. Slightly surprised by the weight as he sticks out his arm on both sides to support him, try to balance out himself.

The single charcoal drop by the accident as Mafumafu's mom grab it and put it back on its rightful place. With the same gentle smile, she kissed her son's forehead.

"Keep safe on your way there, okay?"

"Yes, mom!", He adjusted the bucket a little. Before he extended and waving his hands toward his mom with the same sweet smile, showing off his teeth.

"I will take my leave now, goodbye!"

"Be safe, Mafumafu".

He never knew that it would be his last goodbye to his dear mother.....

Mafumafu entered the outside world and was hit by a sudden coldness as he fixing his white scarf so it would cover most of his neck that started to grow a light red color, blaming this cold breeze season.

With the last blow escaping from his pink lips, he started his pace towards his destination, to the town that was a bit further from the mountain he was live along with his lovely mother and the only precious younger brother.

Speaking of the devil!

Mafumafu encounter with his younger brother that just coming back for who knows nowhere, carrying the pile of the wooden that was tie together around his body. Probably as the substance for fuel. Since the wooden in this mountain had such a perfect burnt material as a source for the warmth that would be their only companion at the nightfall.

Upon seeing his big brother presence the boy sending him the warm smile, the tinted of pink decorated on the youngest cheeks. Mafumafu replies to the sweet smile with his own smile, the pace increased towards his younger brother, he gently patting the brown-haired boy hair, to clear out the snow on top or just to messing with his lil brother fluffy hair.

The youngest boy just only chuckled when Mafumafu keeps patting him while scolding for going outside without him. The concerned tone undercurrent his voice.

"Mafu-nii moo stop it already ww", the boy stated, tried to sound mad but still escape the small laughs.

"www Okay sorry Sou"

"It's Okay, Mafu-nii~. Anyway, it seems like you carrying the overload package, want me to help you, I'm free now by the way", The brown-haired boy raised a question, titled his head to the side.

"I think it's fine and it might take me some time, I probably will take more time than it should be. Well I fear that Onii-Chan might return home by the night", Mafumafu confessed, let all the big sigh to go out as he shook his head.

Causing Sou to pouted. Sou glued his hand together, brought out the begging position. "Then let me help you, please it's so dangerous for you to go by yourself", He pleaded, The light blue orbs twinkled in the concerned.

"Sou—"

"pretty pwease", Mafu fixed his sight to the ground as Sou giving out his suppose to be his biggest weakness—

—The puppy eyes

"Mafu-nii please"

"Sou, I—", the boy hesitated especially when in the time like this. He always failed to declined his little brother condition after all but with the heavy heart and the wistful smile, he tried to drop off it. As gentle as he can.

"Sou of course I'm happy that you want to lend me a hand, and I would love to do this with you as well but you see if you're going with me, then who gonna checking our mom at home. Do you really want to leave her just by herself?", He repeated."Do you?"

With the sorrowful expression, Sou gazed landed on the ground, gently shook his head
"I don't want to-", the boy whispered. Mafumafu nodded, "good then, okay how about this, on my way back home I will buy you some candy, how about that?"

Upon hearing the candy words, Sou's baby lights blue eyes shining brightly. His mouth drooling.

"R-really-", he asked, confirming the albino's promise.

"Yes yes I promise you but-", The albino cut it off. "Promise to me that you will take care of our mother, you know it well enough on how her illness really stuck on her really bad this past few days", Mafumafu voiced.

"Pwomise!", Sou exclaimed happily, stick out his small finger out as Mafu linking to his own as well.

"Promise"

——————————

"Thank you so much, Aunt Iroha!", The albino chirped. With the last bow, He stomps out from the old lady's house.

Mafumafu lightly hit his shoulders using his thump, message it a bit. Feel the slight pain from carrying the large amounts of charcoal by his back, down the misty mountain.

He looked up, on the illuminated sky

The sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun.

So I was right about coming home by the night....

"Oh, Mafumafu-Kun.Do you just come down all the way from the mountain? In the freezy day like this?", Asked the old woman in red yukata upon seeing him.

"Oh yes I am"

"Such a hardworking boy", She smiled softly as the albino only sheepishly laughs.

"Yes but you will catch a cold", Spoke the old guy, In the scold tone.

"No don't worry I'm used to it www. And I was searching for the sweet shop. On the day like this, Aunt potato always opens her shop but I guess today is my unlucky day. She close today", Stated the albino once his eyes on the close shop, the hanging old banner written in the alphabetical as 'close' against the dusty window.

I promise Sou to buy him some of it but now the only sweet shop I know is close today......What should I do?

"Then have some of mine"

"Eh, it's okay—"

"Nah, no one gonna eat it either, hold on I will bring it to you", declared the old man in the resurrection.

The few minutes passed and the old man came back with the packet of candy. Mafumafu was unsure of it but still, take the candy nonetheless.

And on his way out of the town to his home, he was an encounter with the golden-haired boy who's his face full of bruises.

"Ahhh Mafumafu, I'm glad you are here!"

He looks at the boy with a half eyes open, bewildered on how the boy suddenly being so happy seeing him while they're barely talking or even care to landing an eye to each other.

"P-please help me, please smell this pot", the boy pleaded, his eyes started to be filled up with the upcoming tears.

"Eh, sure but for what"

"Just—just tell me who is the culprit who broke this luxury pot", the boy raised the half-broken pot to the albino face, his hand shaking badly. Without asking any question furthers, he give it the smell.

One

Two

Three

"It smells like a wild animals—totally. Yes, I'm sure that none of the human beings has this kind of smell", Mafumafu added making the boy grinning wide and wide by a second to the point Mafu scared that he might be going to hurt his face with that smile length.

"See, it wasn't me. Just like I said", the boy barked to her mother who's just rose her blonde eyebrows.

"Okay, but you are still going to get a punishment"

"Wait, What? How? Why?", the boy clinging on her mom's arm, begging for her forgiveness.

"But mom I told you, It wasn't me. Even Mafumafu tell you so and you know how his nose never betrays anyone here and for the god's sake please believe me this time", the boy crying, his mom rolled her eyes as the albino just watch the drama, puzzlement.

It's getting late.....I should go home now

But before he can move his feet, The little girl clinging on him. Her short blond hair which's been combed into the two buns and the small pink ribbons within it. Her round big golden orbs stared at him in tears.

"Oniichan, please help big brother. It wasn't his fault and yet mom didn't believe us", She holds Mafumafu's hand on her tiny one.

"Please"

With the small patting on the girl's hair, The albino gave him the bright smile. Enough to answer the girl question.

The small girl dragged him inside of her house.

"I saw the fox in my basket here and then it ran away to mom bedroom, broke the pot on her table before dashed away to the father's room and I'm quite sure that it still here"

"And you want me to catch the fox?"

The girl nodded.

Mafumafu brought his face to the wooden floor. After a few smell section. The clue leading the two youngsters in front of the storeroom. They exchanged each other a look before the albino sliding open the room, show off the dusty, unused room.

He covers his nose using his scarf, feeling uncomfortable with all the mixing smell. Until he catched up the smell that takes his attention on.

With the small pace towards behind the black big box. He gently walking to it, doing his best not to wrecking any wooden floor. Giving the girl a signal to wait at her current place.

she nodded weakly.

Behind the box, sleep peacefully the small fox. As the albino whisper the small yes under his breath. He gently put the fox in his arms.
As gently as possible, to not wake up the fox and it failed when the fox's body flinching and despite that it still resting and staying on the boy warm arms, feeling being protected somehow.

"Let's go", Mafumafu said as the girl slide the store close, follow every step Mafumafu took.

——————————

"See I told you mom", The blond boy said as he gave his mom the peace sign. The girl earlier just smiles towards his brother.

"This is great big brother, now mom believes us"

"yep totally, thank you"

He fixed his sight on Mafumafu."Thanks for helping me and my sister. You really are a good guy like what everyone said", He smiles widely as The albino reply the smile with his own.

Mafumafu's red orbs landed back on the pale crescent moon who shone like a silvery claw in the night sky.

It's late now....

"Eh, Onii-Chan Where're you going?", Asked the girl, titled her head cutely on the left side.

"Eh I'm going back to the mountain-"

"You can't, It's dangerous"

"Eh, don't worry. My nose can smell anything so it should be fine, I will just run away when I smell something different-"

The blond boy cut him off. "Nope, I will let you stay for a night. Mom won't care about this either way-"

"B-but", The albino hesitated

"Moo enough of that just come here", The blond boy dragged him back inside.

"But Still-"

"The demon will appear soon", The blond boy whispered but audible enough to be heard by the albino".

"Demon.........", Mafumafu's mind flew away.

"Oh anyway I forgot to introduce myself—My name Is Len and this is my twin sister, Rin"

Mafumafu stares at him and then at Rin before turned his head back to Len.

"I see, nice to meet you Rin and Len"

–—————————

"A BEDTIME STORY!"

"BEDTIME STORRRRYYY!"

The twin happily cheered up, jumping and ran around the small room before lays beside the both sides of Mafumafu as he just gave them the blank expression. The broad smile grew across their grandma's face.

Mafumafu would rather love to close his eyes and drifted into the peaceful sleep right now since he needs to wake up early to go home tomorrow but since their grandma wants to share her story to him as well, so why would the albino deny it, right?

Sou and Mom must be really sick worry about me right now...

"Since a long time ago", She began.

"The human eating creature, the demon has come out to prowl at the day end. Because of that, it's a big mess problem to walk around at the night".

All of the three pairs of eyes focused on the old lady. Even Mafumafu always thought that a demon is just nothing than an urban legend, he still peeking his ears on the story. The twin blonds only hummed, their golden orbs shining bright to the fullest.

She continued...." you'll be eaten, that's why it's the best choice for anyone to stay at their home once the sun setting down", The old lady gazed toward Mafumafu.

"Then can this demon creature enter the houses?", Rin asking curiously, between the small yawning as her grandma express turned grief.

"They can....unfortunely", Granma spoke in the worried stiff before being replaced by the big smile.

"It's so late now. So you children should go to sleep now or your mom would be all angry", She happily singing, blew the tiny fire on the candles as the dark with the slight light from the outside illuminated them.

"Then.....", Mafumafu half-spoke out of the blue.

The old lady stood still, "what is it, dear Mafumafu?"

"In that case, Everyone would be eaten by a demon-", with the half-sleep, The albino slide close his red eyes, swallow into the long drifted sleep.

The old lady smile—the sad one.

"Since a long time ago, The great spirit hunters, risks and kill the demon for us...."She mumbled alone before slide completely the wooden brown door.

——————————

How funny

Demon.....I remember our disease father also tell us the same exact story before he died.

Such a weird bedtime story...

——————————

"Thank you again for letting me stay for a night", Mafumafu thanks the whole family before made his way back to the typical misty mountain and to his own house.

He's already excited enough to meet back with his lovely family, so he more like running all the way to his home. The big smile never left his face since then.

The rising sun cast across the morning sky. Golden fingers of bright sunlight lit up the happy emotion that he was now in. Even with such a bright heat from the sunlight still not strong enough to wipe out the freezing of the mountain as the albino once again unwrapped his scarf before put out the better one on his neck.

The flock of bird passed him, spreading their blue azure wings beautifully than ever as his red orbs focused on the single one.

His heart pumped happily. His sweet smile grew wider. Well, you can exactly blame him to be all happy, right? He's going to meet his family after all. Even it wasn't the first time the albino left them alone, he's always felt that something inside his heart was incomplete without seeing his family even for a simple night, one night without feeling his mother warmth hug or to hear his little brother lovely lullaby every night.

Yes, that's right! Mafumafu was incomplete without them. He would feel like he was the 4000 pieces of the puzzle and without his family, he felt like the one single puzzle was missing, making the others to be incomplete as well.

Sadly.......now he needs to learn on how to live without his family.

without one single puzzle to complete the game.

He smells the blood—

he hates this smell the most.

Without thinking logically, he felt like his legs turned into the limp noodles once he saw the pool of fresh blood in the yard. The blood glistened momentarily before sinking into the white snow.

He was heartbroken

He breathed caught in his throat

He sweats badly

His heart pumped nonstop against his chest, showing no sign to slow down.

Panic started building in his throat

His mind went fuzzy—

It was a long silent-

Too silent indeed and the albino hates it so much

A horrible emotion had been trying to take hold of him.

He shaking badly, His brave self crashing and collapsed to the snow. Still finding out his remaining spirit—The albino slapped himself

One

Two

And ouch three

Before approaching the front door which's also covered in the dry blood, His heart thumped faster like it was in the go-cart race.

With the short nervous breath, the anxiety ate the boy from inside. He gingerly, still shaking and tried to hold the handle to slide open the door and suddenly...

There's a smash, a huge one as the door fell off its hinges.

On those moments he saw the corpse behind the door, his heart clenched. He thought he was going to got a heart attack. His breath stop. He started chewing on his lower lips and his eyes welled out with tears as he falls to his knees, hugging it while letting out all the tears to the ground.

He screamed

And screamed

Let everything out with the long screeching screamed.

"Mom......"

——————————

On the unknown side of the mountain, the single boy running down it, carry the brown-haired boy who's covered in blood in the bridal style. The wounds were everywhere around Sou's body as the albino on the other side still flowing out the tears from his red eyes.

Ignoring all the itching from his body or his sore feet, he keeps walking forward not even taking the single gulped of the fresh air. The sweats trailing on every side of his face.

"Only Sou still had warmth in his body"

"I-If—If he sees a doctor, They might be able to save him".

"How did such a thing happen?"

"how"

"HOW"

He questioning everything under his breaths.

"It's so hurt"

"My body, My lungs—the freezing air hurting my lungs"

"B-but I can't stop now—what's important now is to save Sou"

"I must keep walking forward".

"I have to force my leg to move fast and faster"

"It still far away from the town, not yet not yet I can't give up"

"I need to be faster"

"I won't let him die"

"Never"

He wiped the remaining tears, stand up straightly as he keeps running, his pace increased by every second.

Brought Sou's wounded face to his chest, slightly tried to hug the other in those arms.

"Sou, this Onii-Chan of yours will definitely save you—no matter what.

"That's why, please—please don't die—don't leave me alone"

——————————