You are mine, because I hold you

And will never let you, O my light,

Leave my heart.

Let me reach the place

Where with delight

You will embrace me and I embrace you.

Don't be afraid, for you are mine.

BWV 228: "Fürchte dich nicht" ("Do not fear")

─Johann Sebastian Bach

Few moments later, Karamatsu and Jyushimatsu arrived at the lake. The smell of the water turned so putrid of a stench, Karamatsu nearly threw up.

Jyushimatsu frantically rushed to the lake, grabbing Choromatsu's arms and dragged him out lf the water. His hands were burned from the corrupted water, but he brushed it aside to rescue his friend.

Weakly, Choromatsu opened his eyes. "...Jyushi...matsu...?"

"Choromatsu, please hang in there! Mister Priest will save you!"

Karamatsu carefully examined the Water Spirit's eyes. "His eyes...it's just like the prostitute who lost her mind..."

"Is it the corruption from the Devil? What should we do, Mister Priest?"

Karamatsu bit his lip. "...maybe, we have to exorcise the demon to get rid of the corruption...but─"

Choromatsu tugged on Jyushimatsu's sleeves. His heavy breath echoed through the silent lake. With firm tone in his voice, he spoke.

"Don't kill him. Please."

"B─but, Choromatsu! The only way to get rid of the corruption is to exorcise him!" Jyushimatsu protested.

"That aside, we need to know the Devil's true name." Karamatsu said. "I can perform an exorcism...if only I know his name."

"He'll come." Choromatsu wheezed, coughing up black filths from his mouth. "...he'll come for me. I'm sure of it. However...please...don't kill him..."

"But...you're dying! I can't let you die like this, Choromatsu!"

"Then so be it..." Another hoarse cough came out from Choromatsu's lungs. "...I'm sorry...Jyushimatsu. I'm a terrible friend..."

"No, you're not!" Jyushimatsu cried, begging to the Water Spirit. "Please, stay with me! You're not a terrible person!"

"Yes, I am. You know...I forged a pact...with a demon...that shows how desperate I was...to be loved. But I'm a fool...I was blinded by jealousy..."

"What are you saying?!" The Angel yelled, his voice was choked by tears. "Are you saying that nobody loves you?! No! I love you, Choromatsu!"

"I was jealous of you, Jyushimatsu." Choromatsu solemnly said. "You already found the person you love...and it wasn't me...so I..."

"Stop talking for now! Please! You're going to be okay! Right? We'll talk about this later─"

Before Jyushimatsu finished his sentence, Choromatsu laughed maniacally─his mind was eroded by the demon's corruption.

"GONE! IT'S GONE! HAHAHAHAHA! THE FLOWERS ARE GONE! HOW AM I GOING TO PICK THEM FOR YOU, JYUSHIMATSU?!"

I was scared. So scared. When she left me, I was afraid of loneliness. I was scared of being alone.

I was scared. So scared. When he was gone, I was afraid of being left alone, again. I don't want to be alone, ever again.

I guess...I was just being selfish. But I really want it.

My deepest desire...is to have someone I can love for the rest of my endless time.

My deepest...dirtiest desire...

Ahhh...but it doesn't matter to me anymore...

...everything is so red...very red...deep red...red...

Red. Crimson. Deep red. Deep crimson. Fresh red. Beautiful red. Lovely red...

The Devil arrived at the lake. The trees and flowers withered, devoid of life. Stench of decay and filth flowing through the air. Everything was pitch black, but in the Devil's eyes, everything was red.

Beautiful, yet sad color of red.

"I guess...my corruption ain't working so well on spirits." The Devil let out a dry laugh. "It works really good on humans...but...oh well..."

"Stop acting so happy-go-lucky, you sick bastard."

Rustles of grass was heard from behind the Devil's back. It was Ichimatsu, brandishing his trusty weapon─readied himself for an attack.

"How many times have you been spreading these calamities?" The Reaper coldly growled. "The Great War...The Great Plague...killing and driving people insane...tell me, just when will you finally be satisfied?"

"Chaos has insatiable apetite, my friend." The Devil chuckled. "As long as I live, humans shall taste my wrath. They shall suffer hell on earth!"

"What about Choromatsu?!" Ichimatsu yelled. "Does he deserve to suffer like that too, huh?!"

For once, Ichimatsu's words shook the Devil off of his guard. He was completely silenced─even his smug grin was wiped off from his face. His sharp, mocking glare was gone.

"He's dying from the corruption now...and the only way to save him is to remove the pact─that means...your death will suffice."

"I'm not planning to die just yet, Reaper." The Devil sneered. "Who do you think you are? Acting all so conceited and shit..."

"ICHIMATSU! PLEASE, HELP! CHOROMATSU IS...!"

The tension between the Devil and the Reaper was broken by Jyushimatsu's anguished scream. Both of them rushed to approach the Water Spirit's limp body.

"See this, Devil?! It's all your fault!" Ichimatsu pointed at the gasping Choromatsu─his face was pale as sheet. "If only you weren't exist! If only you weren't here...Choromatsu wouldn't have..."

The Devil crouched, gently touching Choromatsu's forehead. Extreme regret and grief were shown on his face.

"...indeed. If only I wasn't here...then Choromatsu wouldn't have to suffer like this. Ahhh...dammit. I'm such a fool, am I..."

Suddenly, Choromatsu reacted from the touch on his skin. He opened his eyes─colored in deep red.

"...hey, Fappymatsu. Good mornin'..." The Devil greeted mischievously. "How's it going? Feeling like shit enough?"

"...shut up..." Choromatsu weakly muttered. "...what took you..so long?"

"I thought about things...lots of things..."

In a surprisingly mild manner, the Devil took Choromatsu's cold hand and kissed it. As the Water Spirit's freezing skin touched his lips, he felt bitterness filling his mouth.

"About how things should have been...if we met in different circumstances. About how things should have been...if we never met from the very start. But...I guess...there are some things that never meant to be..."

"You...the Devil from that time..." Karamatsu mumbled, slightly trembled from the Devil's presence.

"Oh...if it isn't the shitty priest. What are you doing here? Holding a sermon or some stupid holy mass, I presume?"

"They asked me to exorcise you." The former priest calmly replied. "To save this spirit, we have undo the pact...and get rid of the corruption that tainted him..."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. You want my true name?" The Devil scratched his head, before leaning his head and whispered to Karamatsu's ear. "Listen up, church boy. I only say this once...my true name..."

Karamatsu nodded, his head hung low.

"Understood. Then...I shall exorcise you."

The Devil crouched back to held Choromatsu's hands, while Karamatsu prayed. Both Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu watched in anxiety.

"In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. O Lord, hear my prayer..."

"It's a bit crowded here, huh? I really wish that I can spend some time alone with you...well, doing some sexy time...at least for the last time..."

"...you...pervert..."

The Devil chuckled. His expression mellowed significantly. His fingers intertwined with Choromatsu's, melting together into one.

"I've made so many mistakes in the past...even until now. I wonder, was our meeting a mistake too?"

"..."

"Heh...if you ask me, I wouldn't say it was a mistake."

"...I command you to leave. Begone, demon! You shall no more dare to spread suffering and disaster─"

Choromatsu's breath calmed. His clarity was restored, his face's and eye color returned to normal. The warmth of his body went back, much to the Devil's joy.

"I'm glad I met you. I'm sorry for everything. I didn't mean to..."

"Stop talking."

The Devil's words were hushed by Choromatsu's kiss. Admist the chilly air, he could feel hot tears streaming down from both of their eyes.

"...we both should stop talking..." Choromatsu whispered, clinging desperately on the Devil's arms. "...I don't want to miss any second of this moment..."

"..."

"In the Name of the Lord, I command you! Begone! The demon by the name─"

Choromatsu closed his eyes. The Devil's body sizzled within his embrace, emitting fiery, wild embers.

"...I'm glad I met you. Really."

"Likewise."

The two tightly embraced each other, as the Devil disappeared─slowly burned away to nothing but a thin smoke, floating in the air.

"I forgot. I haven't told you my true name...right?" The Devil whispered.

"...my true name is─"

In the past, I only made mistakes after mistakes.

「I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...」

Those words kept repeating, again and again.

But in the very least...even if it's only once...even if it's only for the last time...

...I wonder, can I finally did something right?

"Karamatsuuuu! Look! The water is so clear! Let's take a dip!"

"Careful now, Totty! Don't get yourself too wet!"

A young boy cheerfully splashed the lake's water, playing happily with Karamatsu. The lake was restored to its original state, right after the pact was broken. The trees and flowers went back to life, blooming wildly like an eternal spring.

"It's so lively here! Thanks to Karamatsu and Totty, I suppose?" Jyushimatsu smiled, watching the two humans played around the lake. "Too bad Totty can't see us spirits..."

"I'm going to the western region with Jyushimatsu tonight." Ichimatsu said. "Are you sure, you'll be alright?"

Choromatsu nodded. "I'll be alright. In fact...maybe I want to be alone for a while..."

The Reaper scratched his nose. "Don't be so down about it. Besides...exorcism doesn't mean that he's killed, right? He might be still alive and kicking somewhere..."

Jyushimatsu stared sadly at his friend, then suddenly grasped the Water Spirit's hands. "Don't worry, Choromatsu! We'll visit you soon! So you won't feel lonely anymore!"

"Thank you very much, Jyushimatsu." Choromatsu hugged the Angel. "I love you."

"I love you too! Here, come with us, Ichimatsu! Let's have a big hug together!"

"...I'll pass..."

Karamatsu approached the three spirits, bowing politely. "I'm going to the next country with Todomatsu. I'll be sure to visit you too, Choromatsu. Oh, and probably bringing you some gifts..."

"I can't wait, Karamatsu. Thanks for everything."

The sun was setting, Karamatsu and the child left the lake─hand in hand. Both Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu also departed for their next journey.

A warm wind breezed through Choromatsu's hair. He stood in the middle of the lake, with his eyes closed. Suddenly, something smooth grazed his cheeks. He opened his eyes, and found himself showered with rose petals from above.

Red─deep red rose petals showered down from the sky. Choromatsu smiled, his tears dropped like rain. Faintly, he heard a familiar wicked laugh somewhere.

Somewhere...far, far away.

"I look forward to the day we will meet again─

─Osomatsu."

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful lake in the middle of a forest. Colorful flowers and herbs grew in abundance at the lakeside. A huge body of cool, crystal-clear water filled the lake. However, there were few people who knew about the lake itself.

Legend says that a water spirit was residing there, waiting for his beloved to come back by his side─up until this day. If you're lucky enough, you can see flower petals mysteriously falling down from the sky, right into the middle of the lake.