In the perfect world, there is peace and harmony. Humans aren't careless and they don't have to worry about man eating monsters roaming the night. They don't have to fear for their life and not hide in the corner of their room, seeking refuge from the demons.

Fear would almost be nonexistent.

But this isn't the perfect world. Because in this world, humans die all the time and are preyed upon by demons. In this world, humans struggle and fight, taking up their sword and swinging with all their might even though it's futile against such supernatural monsters with incredible healing abilities.

Humans are careless, brash and impulsive and because of their volatile emotions, they end up clouding their judgment.

In the imperfect world that they live in, someone can be aware and naive at the same time. Someone is capable of hating and loving the same person at the same time. And some people are capable of being strong even though they're weak.

A world of contradictions is a place where humans live in. Almost everyone is a walking contradiction. It is human nature to be, the state of indifference where one is incapable of really choosing and making a firm decision. This is why the grey area exists.

In Nao's early years as a child, she was drilled with the fact that the outside world was not a safe place. Man eating monsters called demons roam the place during the night while tainted humans roam the place during the day.

Nao always did wonder why demons were so different from humans. Demons were former humans and just because they've undergone transformation, doesn't mean they've lost their emotions and humanity altogether.

They were still human inside even if their outer appearance has changed.

How cruel it was to believe such a naive little thing.

It was when Nao turned twelve that she realized, humans are even worse than demons. And demons were just feral beasts wearing a human's skin.

It was then that she understood that being in the grey won't help her at all.

"Yuko-chan, Kagaya-onii-sama says we shouldn't go out at night. It isn't safe. There are demons." Nao was young and still oblivious back then and it was that night during her birthday when everything changed. It was when she realized that the world could be so cruel and merciless.

"Nao-hime, are you scared? If you're scared, you can go back. I'm fine on my own!" Red hair and a dark pair of eyes. Yuko was her very first female friend and she was the only one Nao could talk to when she wanted to know something.

"I'm not scared... It's just too dangerous for us. Please listen and think this properly. We can just go back in the morning."

Yuko brushed her off.

"It's fine. We'll be okay. We just need to visit the temple and then we can go back. "

"Really?"

Yuko smiled. "Really!"

Thinking back  Nao regret agreeing. That single decision she made caused everything in her life to turn upside down.

"Yuko-chan, who is this?" Nao asked when they arrived, noticing a dark figure waiting at the top of the stairs.

It was dark and there were barely any light coming from the moon so she couldn't see the person properly.

"Oh! That's my brother!" Yuko told her, voice sickly sweet and innocent as she turned to Nao.

"Are you sure? He looks off." Nao answered, taking a few steps back. Her gut was telling her that something is wrong and before she knew it, Yuko's hand grabbed her wrist and began leading her to the temple.

"Yuko. I want to go home." Nao told her in a soft voice as she planted her feet firmly on its place, eyes showing determination.

Yuko continued onwards without even glancing at her but her grip on Nao tightened to the point that Nao was wincing.

"Don't be silly! My brother is already waiting for us! It'll be rude if you went home!"

"I'll just meet him tomorrow. It's dark already. Kagaya-onii-sama is probably looking for me. I need to--" Nao reasoned out but Yuko suddenly turned towards her.

"Stop being so unreasonable. Uh! I really hate your attitude, Nao-hime! Just because you came from a prestigious family, doesn't mean you can do what you want! You're being so stuffy! I just want you to meet my brother! Are you repulsed by the fact that you're meeting my commoner of a brother?!"

Nao backed away and pulled her wrist.

"T-That's not it, Yuko-chan. I just.."

"You just what?" Yuko rolled her eyes. "You're such a big baby. I'm not surprised if you're scared. "

Nao frowned. "Yuko-chan, you're being mean. I'm not happy with the words you're using."

Yuko laughed. "It won't matter. I mean big brother is already here. He came to greet you himself. Isn't that amazing?"

"What?" Nao asked, her face filled with confusion but a shift in the air told her that something was wrong. Something bad was bound to happen and when her eyes suddenly caught sight of a person behind Yuko, Nao couldn't help but take a sharp breath.

"Those eyes..."

He grinned at her, showing his elongated fangs and his mouth watering with saliva as his dark blue eyes stared with intensity.

"You're such a good girl, Yuko-chan~! Bringing me something so appetizing!"

Nao went pale the moment the moonlight shone upon the man's feature.

"I know Onii-chan! I'm glad you like what I brought you!" Yuko giggled softly as she clung to her brother's side.

Nao took a step backwards.

"Why..?" She whispered as she looked at Yuko, wondering why she was doing this.

"Aren't we friends?"

Yuko laughed. "Nao-hime, who would want to be friends with someone like you? You're so boring and clueless that it's almost like I'm playing with a baby. If it weren't for your brother, you're nothing."

Then she giggled. "It's a good thing you have a rare blood. I'm sure Onii-chan would enjoy you. Atleast you were useful before you die."

Nao's expression went even paler and as the demon started approaching her, she couldn't help but turn around and run.

"Yuko-chan, you said she was a good girl. Why is she running away?" Nao heard the demon whine.

"It's okay, Onii-chan! Just run after her! She's weak and frail so it would be easy for you to catch her."

"Oh? Is that so? Then that's good! Really good! I can't wait!"

Nao continued to run, ignoring the fact that her lungs were burning and that she could barely inhale anything as she sped up.

The worst thing happened and she tripped.

Nao scratched her palms and as she turned around to face her pursuer, blood splattered all over her face and kimono.

In this imperfect world, where everything is a contradiction, only one person managed to stand out.

"Nao-hime? Are you hurt?"

Nao wanted to cry but she couldn't feel any tears flowing down her face. It was as if she stopped feeling.

Did her Yuko-chan really sent Nao so that she would be eaten by her brother?

Nao took a deep breath, feeling how her lungs were burning and how difficult it was to breath right now.

"Nao-hime, please calm down. You're only going to make it worse."

Nao looked up and the sight of the blind man infront of her suddenly made her cry. Before she knew it, she was crying and weeping, hating the fact that she trusted so easily and was deceived without a second thought.

"So this is betrayal. " Nao thought to herself. "How strange. Why do I feel so happy and angry at the same time?"

When she looked at the demon's corpse who was slowly turning into ash, Yuko came running and screaming for her brother. The hateful glare she gave Nao stunned her in place.

And when Yuko started screaming towards her and calling her names, Nao could only feel surprise and anger in her heart.

'Why? Why? Why?!'

Nao stood up but her vision was blocked by the man infront of her.

"Children are pure and naive. Easy to be influenced and selfish little things. You are no different than demons."

"Why did you kill Onii-chan?! He was going to eat her and be done with it! He promised me that he'd get rid of that stuck up girl!"

Nao bit her lip, feeling her heart aching at the insult.

"Yuko-chan... I'm sorry. "She murmured.

"No! Give me back my brother! Give him back! I'll kill you for this!"

Nao simply stared and before she knew it, she was being carried away in the arms of someone.

"Nao-hime, children are quick to lie and are fine with cruelty. Their young minds are easily influenced and if someone told them to kill because it's the right thing to do, they would do it simply because they have no concept of what is good and what is bad. Please understand."

Nao just stared, her eyes unblinking as tears refused to fall anymore.

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Oh my god. Those three looks so hot as upper demons. Asgshfjfkylly!

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