Warnings: Abandonment. Physical, mental, and emotional abuse. Religion issues. Mentions of d3ath, st@rving, cuts, su!c1de, divorce, and ab0rtion. Again, at the start of the fanfic, it is already warned that things like these will be mentioned in the story, but I'll just repeat it once again for this chapter.

╰┈➤ ❝ [forbidden knowledge, forbidden love.]

Third Person POV

2002

"Good morning, Callista!"

The morning dew, melancholy violin music, and birds chirping on the side alley set the tone for the small village named Callista, which is one of Japan's villages inside a district, a rural area. A village where many people celebrate happy occasions with endless tables of food, remnants of memories from festivals that bring every villager's heart closer, families bond with smiles and laughter, crystal clear lakes and ponds that serve as tourists who feed fishes, with the perfect weather, blue skies, and clouds that almost never get dark when it's night time, perfect scenery of the sunrise and sunset, just the perfect serene of Village Callista.

One place always stands out, and it's the main church in this village.

Every weekend, holy mass is held, and the majority of people attend with their hearts closer to their saints, gods, and beliefs, causing money to flow quickly.

The church is regarded as the most beautiful place in the Village of Callista, and it is run by a happy family with their only daughter named L/n Y/n or known as Callista.

When attending a mass, the family is at the side of the church, sitting on one of the pews while listening to the pastor's speakings and stories.

(A/N: A pew (/ˈpjuː/) is a long bench seat or enclosed box, used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church)

The L/n family seems really happy and religious, at least that was the Village Callista thought.

In this village, people's joy is endless bliss, yet their heart is stone-cold with the forceful religion they impose on every people. No matter what you tell them, their perspective on the saints that they praise will not and never change.

Innocence. Divine. Purity. Morality. Virtue.

The words on Village Callista look up to, and if anyone doesn't abide by it, simply, they're considered as peasants.

Now, is Village Callista considered a sea of tranquility?

"Callista!" Your mother, named Nina, called as you were just outside the church's garden, picking some flowers

"Are you ready for your 10th birthday?" Nina asked as she stepped out of the back church's patio.

"Mama, it's Y/n, stop using that nickname!" You laughed as she hugged you and her eyes flew through the blooming flowers and the green garden, which had a touch of white, pink, and red due to the flowers' bright petals.

"You may be Y/n, but your nickname for me is Callista." Your mother kissed your forehead.

"Why?"

"It means most beautiful and it's the name of our village."

"Why didn't you name me Callista instead then?" You asked while your hands were busy plucking some flowers.

"Y/n is beautiful, yet that's what other people call you, but for me, as your mother, I only want to call you as my one and only Callista." Nina smiled while brushing your hair.

"Even... p-papa?" You blinked and trembled in nervousness as you were scared to even mention your own father.

Your mother's breath hitched as she hugs you tighter to her chest and rubs the back of your head. "No, Y/n, he won't ever call you Callista, even your father."

"I miss papa, when is he going home...? I bet he'll go home next weekend again, where there is mass." You muttered while leaning your head on your mother's shoulder. "Mama, why does papa only go home when we hold mass in the church?"

"It's because he only wants the money." Your mother thought, but she shook her thoughts away.

"It's because your father is a busy man. He barely finds time to run and attend church." Mother Nina forced a smile.

"Is papa a good person? I remember he always tells us to pray and be thankful to God." You asked, and your mother's heart pained.

"H-He is... he doesn't commit any sins." Your mother replied, and a brief silence followed that made you furrow your brows in confusion.

"Talking about it, did you attend the rosary this morning, Callista?" Nina asked.

Your eyes widened as you felt your heart drop and slowly shake your head. "N-no... I'm sorry, ma."

"Tsk, Y/n, why didn't you?" Nina's expression quickly went from soft to irritated, and her tone rose a little.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I forgot, mama..." You said while biting the insides of your cheeks.

"Y/n, attending masses and rosary or anything is important." Nina just sighed as she rubbed her temples.

"Anyway, get ready for your birthday later, dress up in a nice dress that mama bought for you, okay? You know how mama hates scolding you, I'm just doing the best for you." She smiled with tone changing as she hugged you again and went out of the garden.

"Okay, I hope papa comes home for my birthday." You said and waved goodbye with a wide smile.

Your mother wiped the tear that spilled from her eye while going inside the church as she heard what you said.

Meanwhile, you were still inside the garden, picking flowers and placing them in a basket; it was calm, with only the birds chirping outside the fence until you heard footsteps thuds just outside the fence, you decided to take a look and saw boys around the ages of twelve to fifteen fighting.

"Hey! Hey! Motherfuckers!" A man shouted.

"Motherfuckers...? What's that again?" You thought as you scrunched your nose and you quickly covered your mouth as you realized the word.

"A bad word! I'm so sorry!" You said but didn't notice you said it out loud that caught the boys' attention and turned their heads on the fence.

"What the hell are you looking at, wimpy bitch?" The boy said who looks like he was around twelve to thirteen.

"Sorry, what again?"

"You think she understands what you're saying? Look at her." One of the boys said.

"She can fight- come here-" The man said as he jumped over the fence and went inside the church's garden.

As the boy towered over you, he scrunches up his knuckles, causing you to close your eyes, but you didn't feel a punch as you heard something thump on the ground. You opened your eyes slowly to peek.

The boy was lying down on the ground unconsciously.

But then your gaze shifted to his side, where you noticed a boy a little older than you with blond short hair, a lollipop in his mouth, a backpack, and a black sweatshirt and pants while his head is titled and gazing down at the guy he just kicked.

"Ken-chiiin! Look! I kicked someone!" He shouted while jumping and stretching his leg.

"'Ey! Mikey!" A young man with blonde hair that was ponytailed and slicked back, and... a dragon tattoo on the side of his head...?

"It's them!" The thugs who trash-talked you a while ago immediately ran in fear and left their friend lying on the ground.

"Hello, girl, are you okay?" The boy said with a lollipop in his mouth.

"Pfft! What did you call her? You're still awkward as ever, man." Draken held back his laugh.

"I don't know, okay? What? Will I call her Betty or something?" Mikey grumbled.

"I'm hungry, let's go now." Mikey puffed, but he looked back at you as you were still standing in shock, with your jaw hanging open and eyes widen.

"Is she impressed or scared by my kick?" Mikey whispered to Draken while secretly pointing at you.

"Err, she looks scared." Draken shrugged with a whisper.

"Hey! A fly will come in!" Mikey flicked his fingers on your face while you blinked back to reality.

"U-Uh, who are you? And thank you?" You stuttered with a nervous laugh as you looked at the unconscious man on the ground.

"My name is Mikey, this is Draken." Mikey grinned as he side-hugged his friend.

"I am Y/n." You held your hand out.

"Holy shit- what do I do Ken-chin." Mikey panicked.

"Shake her hands obviously." Draken rolled his eyes in response.

Mikey shakes hands with you while his whole body is shaking with sweat dripping down his forehead, and Draken hits his back which wakes him back to reality.

"By the way, holy what? That's a bad word." You mumbled, tutting.

"Hey, we are in a country with freedom of speech!" Mikey joked.

"Mikey, look up!" Draken said as he grabs his jaw and made him look at his side.

"It's a church! Oh fuck- I mean shit- wait no- I'm sorry!" Mikey panicked. "May God forgive me."

"Damn," Draken sighed.

"Are you Callista? No, Y/n? I don't know? The church girl something. Heard you from somewhere." He added.

"Call me Y/n, and yes." You said.

"I'm sorry for my friend, he really can't control his mouth, both talking and eating." Draken said.

"Well, we kind of live far away, and we just strolled around here. We hope to see you again." Draken and Mikey said as they walked off and waved goodbye to you.

"Okay, bye!" You smiled, and damn, it's your first time talking to a boy around your age.

You just hope no one saw that you're talking to them.

"Callista! Your cake is ready!"

It's now late afternoon, and you're back inside your house with your mother who bought cake, food, birthday decorations, party balloons, and more for your special 10th birthday.

"Where's papa?" You asked, but then your eyes widened as you saw the decorations. "Wow! You prepared all of these, mama?!"

When your mother heard you call him, her smile faded, but she smiled again as she prepared the dinner while you sat at the table.

Minutes later, the candles on top of the tenth candle are lit, and your smile grows as your eyes convey delight and contentment, even if it's only a simple birthday celebration, which you appreciated, and even if it's just you and your mother... again.

"Make a wish, Callista." Your mother smiled.

You closed your eyes as you wished.

"I hope my papa will come to my next birthdays, and I will meet more people who see me as Y/n."

You opened your eyes as you blow out the candles, and your mother smiled as she looked at you.

"What did you wish for, Callista?"

"It's a secret." You giggled.

She just nodded and laughs as she prepares and sliced the cake. You stared at nothing as you felt your energy drain; you didn't know why you felt melancholy all of a sudden; is it because your father isn't around on your birthday? Or are you and your mum the only ones here?

"Again, another birthday has passed... without my father."

"Good morning, father."

It was now the next day after your birthday, and it's Saturday, meaning, it's the weekend. There was a mass, and people greeted the pastor as they were leaving the church, and the mass just ended just a few minutes ago.

"Greetings, bless you." People left the church as soon as the mass had ended, but some stayed to send more prayers and meditate. You, your father, and your mother smiled as they walked through the church entrance, bidding goodbye to the people who had attended the mass, and you stood behind your mother in your white floral dress, shying away from the crowd while hiding behind her.

"Thank you so much, family L/n, especially Fujio L/n, such a lovely family, may God bless you." The people said as they praised the three of you.

"Thank you for attending this Saturday's mass as well." Your parents bowed.

Your father nudged you to bow which you immediately obeyed.

You bowed as your gaze fell to the floor, and you remained there until you heard footsteps walking into the church, which piqued your attention because the sounds were echoed and loud.

"Callista, your father and I will just visit some people in the chapel, okay? Stay here in the church and behave." Your mother said.

"Oh okay," you replied as they left you inside the church.

You sighed as you walked down the church aisle, thinking it would simply be another lonely day inside the church, and you'd be the one welcoming visitors.

Until you saw that one familiar person, but he was with four boys that seem to be... just out of the place. They don't look like they belong in a church, especially with the piercings and tattoos, and they appear to be young, perhaps a year or two older than you.

"Why are we here again?" The boy with white long hair said with a black mask covering his face.

"I don't know with Mikey." A guy with braided hair said who was carrying a metal-looking thing.

"How about you, Rindou?" He added while he slung the baton on his shoulder.

"I'm out." Rindou muttered who was wearing glasses and slicked-back hair.

"Same." The guy with slightly parted black hair muttered, named Koko.

"Stay." Mikey said.

"You heard what he said." Sanzu said as he grabbed Ran and the other's collar to threaten them.

"Chill out." Ran raised both of his hands in defense.

"Sooo... we just need to follow this Mikey guy to escape from our debt in Toman, right?" Rindou whispered.

"Fuck this shit. We can pay triple. Mikey just wants us for something else." Ran added.

"Nah, we're blackmail potential anyway. Y'all are dumb as fuck." Koko whispered.

"Draken said it's in this location though..." Mikey muttered while looking for a girl.

"Pfft, a church?"

"Oh! There she is!" Mikey pointed behind and your eyes widened in dread as they turned their heads to you.

"Who is she?" Ran whispered.

"Y/n! How are you!" Mikey ran up to you. "Good to see you again."

"U-uh, good?" You blinked as your eyes darted to the four boys looking at you while you sweat nervously.

"Mikey, who are they?"

"People I know from other gangs." He shrugged.

"Gangs?" Your brows raised.

"Oh, I forgot, you're a church person..." Mikey rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, they're your friends?" You side-eyed them. Who knew people at such a young age can look so intimidating?

"Nah, no, not really." Mikey snorted.

"Simple, this kid here asked us to come with him to meet his crush which is you, in exchange to pay our debt in Toman." Koko said as he walked past the two of you after exposing Mikey.

"Hey!" Mikey grumbled.

"I expected the leader of Toman will be all muscular and he'll beat the shit out of us if we don't obey him!" Ran made a dramatic face. "But then when we met this guy, he was acting like a child, and looked like he just got out of kindergarten! Who would think we will escape this debt just by helping him talk to his crush, that's so childish!"

"I got a gift for your birthday yesterday. Sorry, I only knew it now since I heard it from the people in your village." Mikey said as he gave you a small white box with a ribbon.

"That's surprising. They talked to you." You mumbled. You know how the residents here hate people looking like thugs.

Draken and MIkey looked at each other, not telling you that they kind of threatened the people here.

"He beated the shit out of them." Draken snitched.

"No we didn't! Open your gift." Mikey said after smacking Draken's mouth.

You took the box and opened it, and your eyes widen as you saw what's inside.

A necklace.

"I'm going to wear it." You turned around and smiled as you handed him the necklace; he blinked nervously as he dangled the necklace over your neck and locks it from behind. You turned around to check the necklace and saw that it has a sun pendant.

"Mikey! Where are you?!" A voice echoed through the church, and you looked over Mikey's shoulder to look at the church entrance, only to see the other familiar face from yesterday.

"Ken-chin, I finally gave it to her." Mikey whispered cheekily to Draken as he walked to him.

Suddenly, Ran grabbed his baton while Rindou scrunched his knuckles and walked to Draken.

"Get us out of here or we'll beat the shit out of you even if it's inside a church." Rindou aggressively scowled.

"Man, shut the fuck up." Draken scoffed.

Ran twisted his braids with his baton before slinging it harshly towards Draken.

"Chill, okay okay kiddo. We'll go out, let's go, Mikey." Draken said as he grabbed his hand, but he took it back.

"Can we at least get a photo for once?" Mikey said as he took out a camera.

Everyone paused on their tracks as they raised their brow, a photo?

"Corny as fuck," Rindou and Ran laughed.

"If we get a photo, I'll let the four of you go from your debt in Toman." Mikey smirked while they sighed, leaving with no choice.

"Then what? You're going to use that photo for another blackmail?

"Nah. At least not for now."

Everyone posed on the church's corner, with you in the middle, Mikey on your right, Sanzu on your left, and Ran, Rindou, and Koko behind you.

While Draken is the one taking the photo.

"Okay! One... two... three... smile!"

Ran and Rindou forced a smile while they pulled off Sanzu's mask which he accidentally did a wacky expression, Koko was pouting annoyingly but Sanzu got revenge by grabbing both sides of his mouth and pulling it widely to a smile. Mikey's hand was around your shoulder and you smiled softly to the camera, the necklace shining brightly and all were smiling and laughing as if they didn't just argue a while ago.

Click

"Perfect," Draken laughed as he saw their funny faces in the photo.

"Okay! Bye-bye! See you soon, Y/n!" Mikey smiled as he waved and went out of the church with Draken.

Meanwhile, inside the church, Ran, Rindou, Sanzu, and Koko were left while still standing quietly, and their gaze was on you.

"Uh, hi?" You said.

"Hey! She's mine!" Mikey shouted from afar but Draken lifted him on his shoulders and covered his mouth.

"This kid..." Draken sighed, realizing that he'll have to look after his childish best friend forever, Mikey.

6 years later...

"Good night, Callista!"

Six years have passed since you met the six boys, and your mother shouted a greeting as you replied back with a smile. Everything was still the same, the church renovated just a bit, still a peaceful village, and everything was fine, but your father wasn't still there for your birthdays in your fifteen years in life, so you got used to it

Tomorrow is your sixteenth birthday.

"Good night, ma!" You shouted.

"Night, I'll leave you here in the church for a while, okay?" Your mother said as she kissed your forehead and exited the church, you just sighed and got used to being left alone in the church, to the point where the darkness and eerie atmosphere no longer frightened you.

You felt your eyes slowly drift off as you lean your head on the pew until you heard footsteps and your eyes shot open.

"Who's there?!" You stood up and checked the surroundings in the church.

"Y/n," a voice called and your heart almost dropped, until you saw Mikey.

"Mikey, it's you. You scared me." You huffed.

Yes, until now, you and Mikey are still in contact, but only on rare occasions even with the other four guys, Ran, Rindou, Sanzu, and Koko, whom you met six years ago in the same place when you were still ten years old.

Sometimes, they would sneak inside the church to catch a glimpse of you and just chit-chat. As a matter of fact, they already even memorized the church and your parents' schedule.

"It's your birthday tomorrow. What's your plan?" Mikey asked as he sat beside you.

"I don't feel like celebrating. Same stuff." You sighed.

"You know what? Ran, Rindou, Koko, and Sanzu talked to me about you starting that day when we all met each other." Mikey said, changing the topic.

"Really? What did they say?"

"Anyway, I regret saying that, I forgot I shouldn't say it." Mikey's eyes shot open.

"Wha-?! Really..." You rolled your eyes.

"Anyway, twelve a.m. is close." He said, yawning. "Didn't you say that you always feel lonely on your birthdays?"

"Oh ew, but yeah why?"

"Do you want to spend your birthday with me?" Mikey said as your eyes widened and you looked at him.

"Of course, I do, but where, here?" You asked, but you were taken aback as he grabbed your hand and he ran outside the church with you.

"Hey! Where are we going?! Mikey, I can't go out! My parents are strict! If they caught me-" But you were cut off when he stopped on the garden.

"Why are we here-" Your words were caught on your breath as you saw what Mikey prepared for you.

Fairy lights around the garden's patio with a table and chair in the middle, foods on top with simple yet elegant decorations.

"Wait- Oh my..." A wide smile formed on your face with overwhelm as you stood there all surprised. The other boys are also here, but they looked embarrassed, especially with the redness on their faces. They're just hiding behind Mikey.

"More shits to prepare, but hey, I forced these four to come." Mikey said as he puts his arms around them and pulled them close to each other.

"I want to go home." Rindou muttered.

"I could've paid it if it wasn't for-" Koko said, but he was cut off as he remembered something and just kept quiet.

"For?"

"Nothing," Koko mutters.

"Akane?" You said as Koko's eyes widened and his head turn to you.

"You know her?"

"I see her roam around the village before until the tragic accident happened." You replied. 

Koko simply nodded and sighed.

"Say, Koko, we have Y/n now, and we have basically known each other for years, what do you say?" Ran said as he slumped lazily beside Koko.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Y/n, are you really not ready for a relationship?" Mikey suddenly asked, cutting them off.

Everyone's attention turned to him, especially you with your hesitation to answer.

"You know how I can't be in a relationship... my parents, my village, everything is forbidden, Mikey." You said.

"Plus, I still have to plan for my college, and... when I turn eighteen, which will be in the next two years, we will soon move out of our village." You admitted, and they all turned their heads to you.

"Really? To where?"

"I don't know, but it's somewhere far..." You replied.

"I'll wait," Mikey said. "But I can't promise anything that we'll be with you in college." 

"What?" You muttered, and you admit that you felt a little melancholy, but you quickly gave them a composed answer. "Nah, no, it's fine. It'll be a tough way to college. You can't wait for that long. I don't want to get anyone's hope."

"Even for more than a decade, we will." Mikey said.

Your eyes glimpsed as you stared at him, and you held eye contact for more than a second until you felt a surge of hope in your chest and sighed.

"How can you make sure of that?" You asked Mikey and faced the other boys.

"How will I even remember all of you in those years?" You added.

"Oh c'mon, remember the saying that the world is small." Mikey grinned.

"We'll possibly move out in this village soon, at least that's what I know." You said.

"Anyway, after this, I'll head straight home. Can't afford to get my ass beat for coming home late." You joked, but genuinely feeling a heavy feeling in your chest.

The tock suddenly ticks, and it's now twelve o'clock, your birthday.

The moon beaming above adds to the ambiance, the bright fairy lights were like the sparkling stars from above, and everyone looked up at the large clock on the church and smiled as they prepared the food. You helped them light the candles but Mikey insisted, and you just sat on the chair while watching them.

And as time passes by, your heart pounded as they prepared the lit-up candles on the cake.

"Happy birthday, Y/n!"

They shouted gleefully as they moved the cake in front of you.

"Make a wish."

You closed your eyes as you made a wish.

"May the future guides me to the place I wished for this night."

And there, you blew out the candle, and the smoke dissipated in the air in an instant.

The little party goes on for an hour. Luckily, your parents didn't come to the church and they're probably sleeping in the house now. After an hour of celebration, the fun then soon falters as it's starting to get really late at night and you need to go home.

"Hey, I need to go now. My parents are probably waiting at home." You said as you grabbed your things.

"Oh really? Well then, we can walk you home." Mikey said, but you insisted.

"No, it's fine, the church to our house is just a few blocks away." You said, but the actual reason is that your parents might see you with a boy, and you know you'll be dead.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am, I'll go now." You replied. "See you tomorrow."

You quickly went home and stepped inside the house, but it was oddly quiet, bottles of beer and glass shattered on the floor, with the things around the house were all scattered and messy.

Until you heard a crash coming from the kitchen and you quickly checked.

Your eyes widened as you noticed your two parents talking inside the dining room, but their tones were heated, so you hid behind the wall and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"The church's money income is getting low!" Your father yelled as he counted money with your mother at the dining table, bottles of alcohol scattered across the floor and table.

"Oh no..." You whispered as you thought it's one of those nights again, and you hid behind the wall of the kitchen door.

"C'mon, it's my birthday... why..." You whispered.

"All you care about is the fucking money." Nina, your mother gritted her teeth and your father's head turn to her.

"The fuck? Okay, wow! You earn money for our family then, Nina!" Your father shouted as he threw the money on your mother.

"That's not what I mean, Fujio." Your mother closed her eyes as she ran a hand through her scalp while gripping her hair locks in stress.

"God, please..." You prayed desperately, keeping back your tears in the hopes of stopping them from fighting; you wanted to just walk into the kitchen, but you were holding back, afraid the situation would worsen.

"What I fucking mean is- you only use the church for money!" Nina said as she bangs her palm on the table.

"We. Are. A. Religious. Family." Your mother said sternly while her lips are thinning, every word is bitterly grim.

"Everyone in Village Callista looks up at us, Fujio, and what if they found out that the so-called happy perfect family only uses the church for money? We're hiding behind a fucking facade, concealing an awful secret, Fujio, it's disgusting, sickening, I'm tired of it!" Your mother stressfully shouted as she threw knives, glasses of beer, and utensils on your father.

"This is the only way to earn money for our expenses!" Fujio shouted as he banged his fist on the table. "Fuck people's beliefs. Do you think being idealistic will solve our problems?! Who the hell are you worshipping at, anyway? You're fucking pious! Be glad those donations and events are still keeping up with us."

The sounds were scary that you had to cover your ears but you can't walk out because something might happen, and you're still worried for the both of them.

"We have a lot of expenses! Consider Y/n's tuition fee, food, and her daily living or what fucking ever." Fujio said, and you had to endure the pain from what you heard, now you felt like a burden to your family.

"It's Callista, Fujio." Your mother sighed.

"Shut the fuck up, Callista is gone." Fujio said, following with a silence.

"Callista... is gone? What does he mean?" You thought as you furrowed your brows

Nina glared at her husband, chest rising in anger as he clicked her limits. "Don't you dare say that to my Callista, you're the reason why Callista died!" She shouted with pure rage in her eyes.

"Huh?" You felt your heart race.

"What the hell are you blabbering about?!" Fujio retorted.

"Oh c'mon! You forced me to abort Callista! She could've been Y/n's sister!" Your mother shouted with full rage.

Your breath hitched as your eyes widen. You felt like throwing up with disbelief at what you just heard.

"Callista is dead, Nina!" Your father shouted.

"No, she's not!"

"And she could've been Y/n's sister, or maybe you should say that Callista should've replaced Y/n! That's what you think, Nina. You're sick, mentally sick, and it's affecting Y/n." Your father said.

"You only see Y/n as Callista!" Your father shouted.

Behind the wall, the two parents had no idea their only daughter was watching, and your face was plastered with guilt, hatred, and disbelief, as well as the uncontrollable pounding of agony in your chest that felt so heavy.

Your mother sobbed as she covered her mouth and shook her head, she felt remorse all over her face.

Fujio grabbed the glass of beer on the dinner table and threw it on the floor which made a loud crash, and you flinched behind the wall with fear.

"Go on, bitch! You could've aborted Y/n as well, huh?!" Your father held a broken glass in front of your mother.

You were trembling in fear behind the wall, even though this is what you saw every day. You felt sick to your stomach and tears were streaming down your face because you were so tired of witnessing the same sight every day.

Especially on what your mother said.

You only knew that now.

Your mother didn't really call you Callista because it's a special name only for her, but instead, she only sees you as your dead sister.

"You are sick-!" Your mother shouted, but Fujio slapped her that made her fall on the floor.

"Mama!" You can't bear to look anymore, and just be defenseless? No.

"Callista..." Your mother coos as her attention turned to you.

You knelt down as you held her on the floor while your sight is blurred from the tears.

"It's okay, mama, Callista is here." You forced a smile as you looked at her.

"Callista will keep you safe." You covered her from your father.

"Pathetic bitches." Your father scoffed at the both of you on the floor and walked out of the kitchen while he swings his arm and threw another glass of bottle near the two of you who are sobbing on the floor in mess.

A few days passed, and the church was painfully quiet, the place was getting dirty, and the holy mass is still held yet both of your parents are absent, and you had to be the one attending.

Your mother is in the church's room on the second floor all day, even in the past few days, you felt worried every minute. You have to walk from your house to the church to knock on the door and bring her food every day.

One time, you saw her creaking the door open, but her eyes widened as she saw you standing just outside with a tray of food, and your heart cracked as you saw her appearance, she has a black eye, bruises everywhere, fuzzy hair, dark circles under her eyes, and she was extremely thin.

"M-Mama..." You sobbed as you put the tray of food on the floor and hugged her.

"What did papa do to you?" You cried while wrapping your arms around her waist.

"Y/n, I'm sorry. Callista, baby, let me call you that... I'm sorry, Callista, come back." She said with a hoarse cracked voice, she seemed to be really tired but no tears escaped from her eyes.

Even if you despised the name Callista, you had to bear hearing it from your mother.

"It's okay," you muttered.

"I'll sleep now, Callista, good night." Your mother removed your hands around her and kissed your forehead.

"Mama... go back to our home. I miss you." You said but she only kept her head low.

"Mama..." You whispered as you try to tug her, but she only pries your hands off and shuts her door in front of you.

"I don't understand." You said in a brittle voice as you leaned your head on the door.

"I did everything... I prayed... I fucking prayed every day! I fear what's above us... I devoted my life to him. I offered everything I had. I gave up my notions merely to keep up with everyone else's stupid beliefs. What more could our lord ask for?! How many more prayers do I need for our family to get better?! Ma, answer me! You brought this life to me! I never asked for it. I never took anything for granted! Fucking answer me, ma!" You shouted, your voice hoarse as it echoed throughout the church. Your mother is sobbing inside the room, sitting in the corner as her whole body shakes, listening to your words, knowing that she couldn't do anything but let herself lure into this abyss.

"Mama, I'm tired!" You shouted, frantically knocking on the door as you slide against it.

It was already nighttime, and you were still inside the church, where it was quiet and lonely, and you were sitting on one of the benches while reading the letters from your village that you had received on your birthday, with the moon as the only source of light on the words on the letter.

"Happy Birthday to our dearest Callista! I know your mother only calls you that but you are a special gem in our village that we can help but call you Callista, may God bless you, Y/n." You mumbled while reading the letter.

Your eyes felt bloodshot from crying last night. Your mom is still upstairs of the church. These letters brought you comfort, at least.

You smiled as you flipped through the pages, seeing messages from your village's sweet people. Anyway, you're also here inside the church because you need to look after your mother, who is still refusing to go home to your house with your father, and she's in one of the church's second-floor chambers.

You were checking each envelope that was filled with gifts and letters. They were all the same, words such as "Happy Birthday" "A faithful and sweet child" "May God bless you" until you noticed a very long letter that piqued your interest, and your eyes widened as you read the first word, immediately knowing who it belongs it.

Hey, it's me. I'm not very fond of writing letters, but for you, I'll try to. I'll be honest, do you still remember the day when I saved you from those thugs inside your church's garden? If you did, it wasn't actually the first time that I saw you, I've been seeing you in this village for the past few months already before that day, especially when there are special occasions in your village, that's why every time I get the chance to sneak out from your parents, I'll do so without hesitation to catch a glimpse of you. If you only knew how my day completes when we successfully do that, it brings more than a smile to my face. I also recall the time when you said that you'll be moving out of Village Callista on your 18th birthday, and just so you know, Y/n, that no matter how far you are, no matter what distance is between us, I'll always find ways to communicate with you because we believe the stars will align to do so, and the sunset won't ever signify our end. I don't believe in such words as superstitions and fairytales, but when I met you, I believed more than that which I'm willing to expand my horizons just for you. The small crush that we never imagined growing into a bigger admiration? It feels surreal and enchanting. Remember the promise and keep the remaining vestiges of our childhood memories, the small things we all shared that meant a lot. Regardless of the hurdles, rules, or anything that comes in our way won't be a problem, and the word forbidden wouldn't exist, I will love and accept you unconditionally.  Promise us to marry at least any of us in the future, and we will marry here in your church, with no one coming in our way. You're like the moon, when the night comes, you still outshine the billions of stars, and the aligned stars always guide our path, the beautiful moon that we're talking to every day, hoping that you're on the other side watching the stars along with the moon. Let's say it's how I describe our admiration for you, let me admire you even if it's from afar, so far that it can't be reached. I'm afraid I'll rarely see you starting today, or even worse, I won't see you. I've been preoccupied with a lot of things lately, and I don't want you to get involved. Your future, and ours, are different. Till we meet again.

Even if it's anonymous, you know who it belongs to, and reading it left you speechless and overwhelmed; tears streamed freely from your eyes as you cried, and your heart raced; you can't explain it, and you intend to keep it forever.

"Marry...? That's ridiculous." Your smile kept as you read the letter once again.

"Is that even possible for me?" You whispered while your smile fades.

"It's forbidden, everything I do is forbidden."

You inhaled deeply as you folded the paper and stuffed it into your pockets, but your attention was drawn to the one spot in the chapel where the lights were swiftly flickering.

You were about to fix the lights until you heard your mother call you which causes you to remember that you'll still be checking on her.

"Callista!" Your ears perked up as you a ringing voice in your ears jolt that made you remember that your mother is inside the room.

"Ah, yeah, I almost forgot, I'm coming!" You said as you rose up from the pew as you headed down the church's second-floor balcony to check on your mother after entering the narrow stairwell.

"Ma, what do you ne-" You said as you opened the door, but your eyes widened and your stomach dropped on what you saw.

"MA!" You shrieked as you knelt down beside her unconscious body on the floor, she has cuts all over her skin, a tightly knotted rope around her neck that was cut, a chair beside her, and poison leaking out of her mouth while her body is shaking violently, and most of all, she was holding a knife.

"I'm sorry, Callista." Your mother slurred.

You felt your body freeze on the spot, chills all over your body while you felt sick to your stomach that you felt like throwing up.

"Why?! Ma, why?! I accepted you even if you only see me as Callista!"

"No... ma!" You shook her body as tears freely streamed down your face. "I-I will c-call for help! Wait for me!" You shouted as you wiped your tears, wasting no time to run out of the room and walk down to the stairwell.

You were sprinting down the narrow stairwell when a wooden plank collapsed in front of you; you came to a halt and grasped the stair railings as you looked downstairs and saw dense smoke coming from the flickering lights, which were slowly spreading flames.

"H-Huh?!" Your breath hitched as you heard people shouting from outside-- "The church is burning! Someone is inside! Save them!"

"Ma!" You decided to return upstairs as you desperately try to lift up your mother out of the fire, but the fire was spreading quickly and flames starting to flicker on the second floor.

You felt your chest tighten as oxygen was starting to dwindle, inhaling nothing but the toxic smell from the fire. You had to cover your mouth with your shirt as you felt your eyes getting droopy and your breathing becoming unsteady.

"I'll-" Cough "Get you out of here-!" You coughed while swaying off the smoke in front of you, trying to clear your vision.

You attempted to look up, but your eyes widened as a large antique cabinet from the church's wall collapsed on top of both of you and your mother.

But the one that was affected was you since you were on your mother's left side, and the wooden cabinet hits your head that made you drop dead immediately, with blood sipping out of your head.

Before your consciousness leaves you, the necklace and the letter were hugged to your chest as a tear escaped your eye.

While the letter is slowly burning.

Meanwhile, outside the church, people were in chaos. Everyone in the village hurriedly called for firefighters and threw large buckets of water on the building, trying at least to cool down the fire, but everything was too late, the fire is starting to devour the whole church.

"Where's Y/n?!" And there, Mikey immediately ran as fast as he could to your village, even if it's in the middle of the night as soon as he heard the news.

Ran, Rindou, Koko, and Sanzu followed Mikey with Draken, and their eyes widened in horror as they witnessed the scene.

Koko's heart pounded as he felt coldness all over his body, his mind flashing memories as he covered his ears and his eyes widened in fear.

"Koko!" Ran and the others had to grab his shoulders and shake him.

"A girl named Y/n L/n and Nina L/n are inside!" A man shouted in the crowd.

"Authorities are coming! No one will go inside! It's too dangerous!" The adults shouted.

Koko shook his head and pushed off Mikey, Ran, and the others as he immediately sprinted inside the building.

"Koko-!"

The man who ran inside the building desperately kept on finding where you are, the smoke was getting thick yet that's the least of his worries.

"I can't let it happen again." He thought while running and lifting up the planks.

"Y/n!" He shouted as he spotted two silhouettes on the second floor and he wasted no time running on the narrow stairway.

His eyes widened in fear as his hand was covered in blood, and he just hoped that you still survived no matter what.

And all their left inside the church was your mother, the necklace and the letter burning, with the buried remnants memories from the church of Village Callista.

"Y/n! Nina!"

Fujio L/n, your father, hurried to the hospital as soon as he received the news, tears of regret streaming down his cheeks as he desperately asked every nurse down the corridor.

Until he noticed six boys seated in the hallway's chairs, some resting against the wall with arms crossed, their attention immediately turning to Fujio, and they all gave him death stares.

"W-where's my daughter-?" But he was cut off with a punch on his face by Mikey that caused the man to stumble on the floor.

"Not here, Mikey. We're inside the hospital, we'll handle him later." Draken clicked his tongue.

Meanwhile, the four boys in the hallway still have dark auras around them with furious gazing looks, especially at Fujio.

After some minutes, doctors went out of the operating room where you are in after the boys rushed you to the hospital a while ago with your mother while Koko was the one carrying you.

"How is she?!" They immediately asked the doctors, and the doctors had to back down a little when they spotted some of the boys had tattoo gangs and uniforms they recognized.

"We have some good news and bad news." One doctor said as he removed his glasses and sighed.

"W-Wait! H-How about my wife?! Nina?!" Fujio said as he ran up to the doctor, but Draken and Ran gripped his shoulders as their jaws clenched and shoved Fujio back on the floor roughly.

"We're so sorry, but unfortunately, Ms. L/n Nina is dead on arrival."

Fujio's breath hitched as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Y/n? How about her?" Sanzu and Rindou asked.

"Ms. L/n Y/n survived."

"Oh, thank you." The others drop a sigh of relief, especially the boys. "How about the bad news?"

The doctors had to take a deep breath and look at each other before dropping their words.

"She might lose her memories."

"Huh...?"

"We assume that during the fire accident, her head was damaged because we saw a large wound on the back of her head which triggered the limbic system and we had to stitch the skin in that skull it or else the internal bleeding will worsen. I don't why but I think it's a miracle because there were not many serious or fatal injuries and large cuts, the one that is really affected is her brain, yet we are still not sure until she wakes up, but... there's a ninety percent chance that she'll fall into a comatose." The doctor explained.

Mikey's heart ached as he stared at thin air after hearing the news, and he can't feel his entire body, especially on what he heard with a heavy feeling on his chest, especially Koko, who remained silent the entire time, saying nothing; he doesn't care if he has burn marks, bandages on certain parts of his body, and wounds from a long time ago.

"We'll go now, we tried our best for our job and wished more time remained for the L/n family, I'm so sorry for your loss." The doctors sincerely said as they bowed and walked off.

And now Mikey and Koko find themselves back at the hospital, a place they hate.

Mikey approached your father and hit him in the face, causing a massive bruise, but your father remained still, accepting the punches as he is the one who is responsible for everything.

"I-I'll pay for the hospital bills, I'll accept whatever it is, just to see my daughter again." Fujio whispered through the punches from Mikey.

"One thing that you will do to repay all of this-" Mikey coldly said as he kicked Fujio to the floor and placed his foot on his chest.

"W-Wha...?" Fujio coughed as he tries to pry off his foot.

"Don't show yourself up and leave Tokyo as soon as Y/n wakes up from her comatose."

"S-she's still my daughter...!" But he was cut off as Mikey dug his foot deeper to his chest and Ran had to hit his face with his baton.

"Will she even remember a cruel father like you?"

"Not in a fucking chance, Fujio, who would've known if we exposed you to your village that you're only using the church for money-" Koko said from the back.

Your father's breath got caught in his throat as his eyes widened in fear.

"Remember, you're still facing a case." Koko said. "Rot in prison."

"When Y/n wakes up, bring her to us, you hear me?" Mikey said. He knew himself that he's starting to lure into a path of carnage, enough for him to say these words.

"That's..." Your father said with a shaky voice.

"What? A sin for a sin."

Silence fell in the room as your father stared at thin air. After all, the sins he committed were worst than them.

"I-I will... entrust you all with my daughter's life."

Mikey took off his feet from his chest as your father rashly sat up and gasped while regaining his breath, the other gazed down at him before walking away.

They say, a sin for a sin will always and forever be equal, and repentance is the sinner's only defense, but sometimes, being faithfully devoted can lead to blindness from many more truths that are stopping them from their capabilities and limits, transpiring of beliefs and notions that lead to loss of control in yourself, drowned in the sea of coercion instead of the sea of tranquility which the eternal suffering of the sinners will forever be buried deep down in the deep depths of inferno.

"Because she doesn't deserve anyone like you."

They left the hospital with a heavy bitter atmosphere, the moon shining brightly above them as the stars began to gently align, the magnificent heavens full of concepts, just as the moon does among the stars.

2022

11:11

Silence. Remorse.

Only the ticking clock could be heard inside the room, especially the E/C-eyed woman, whose eyes were filled with void and blatantly stared into the frigid atmosphere.

"Callista..." Fujio said in a barely audible voice.

"Years ago, the young guys who are now a dangerous criminal organization known as Bonten told me that if I don't show myself up to you, they'll help me get out of my case in prison, but they deceived me, and I willingly accepted my sentence." Your father said.

"After your mother died, I've been having dreams, sometimes nightmares about her, and she never left me, she never did." He said.

"After you woke up from the coma, your stepmother... she took care of you, pretended to be your mother and the one who helped you graduate."

"Bonten is dangerous, even if they were still a child," Your father face you with tear-filled eyes. "Y-Your stepmother... I had no choice... She- She plays a role in this. Without her... w-we're-" He added, but couldn't continue.

"If only I can go back in time to fix everything, I would." Your father said.

You shook your head as you try to comprehend everything, feeling regret, betrayal, and guilt all over your face as you looked at your father with a disgusted face.

"...Is that the forbidden knowledge that you've been keeping so long?" You asked, and it's more like a statement rather than a question.

Memories flashed in your mind as you can no longer feel the constant jolt of pain in your head anymore. The light of rays from outside the window caught your attention, and you saw the moon shining brightly among the stars.

"I remember it all too well."

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