As these thoughts echoed in his mind, Haiku's dying vision began to blur, pulling him back into the treasured memories of the past—the days he had spent with Emma, Haruto, Kuro, Angel, Monster, and the rest of the crew.
Right now, he didn't even have the strength to twitch a finger. Lying paralyzed on the cold, unforgiving ground, he could do nothing but weep. No sound escaped his lips; only a silent, endless stream of tears traced down his face.
Suddenly, Haiku coughed violently, vomiting a mouth full of crimson blood. With what little strength remained in his breaking body, he turned his head toward Emma. Looking at her, a soft smile graced his lips—a smile that carried the crushing weight of a deep, hidden agony. He squeezed her hand tighter, locking his fingers with hers, and whispered in the silence of his heart:
'I wish... I wish I could have told you what was in my heart, Emma. I wish I could have told you how deeply I love you. But it's okay. If we couldn't live our lives together... at least we can die together.'
Slowly, his heavy eyelids began to close, and his vision spun into darkness. Holding onto that tragic, beautiful smile, Haiku's eyes shut completely, and his hand went limp.
Watching this devastating scene unfold, a primal rage surged inside Monster. He wanted to tear everything apart seeing his friends in this state, but Angel held him back with a firm, desperate grip, preventing him from rushing forward.
At that moment, Kuro dropped to his knees, utterly shattered. The world around him went completely silent. The chaotic noises of the battlefield faded away, replaced only by the frantic, deafening thud of his own heartbeat. Right before his eyes, his sister and his best friend were slipping into the jaws of death.
Unable to contain the agony tearing through his chest, Kuro let out a raw, piercing scream that ripped through the air.
"EMMA! HAIKU! NOOOOO!"
He broke down, sobbing uncontrollably as a flood of memories with his sister and best friend crashed over him. Suddenly, a specific flashback locked into his mind.
[Flashback]
Haiku and Kuro were sitting together on a bench in a quiet park.
Kuro turned to his friend, a look of genuine concern on his face. "Why don't you just tell Emma what's in your heart, Haiku? Don't wait too long, or else... one day, she might end up belonging to someone else."
Haiku looked away, a calm but resolute expression in his eyes. "It doesn't matter, Kuro. I don't care about that. All I want is that if she ever faces death, it should be by my side. I will protect and help her through every storm. Even if a time comes when you leave her side... I never will."
Kuro chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, you really are crazy in love..."
[Flashback Ends]
The memory shattered, dragging Kuro back to the brutal reality. He was left alone with his tears.
Meanwhile, hidden behind a large tree nearby, another figure was concealed. Suddenly, his knees gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, weeping in absolute despair. His hands and legs shook violently as a wave of suffocating guilt washed over him.
'Emma... I lost you,' he cried out in his mind, his soul tearing apart. 'I failed. I couldn't be a good son, I couldn't be a good friend, and now... I couldn't even...'
He couldn't even find the strength to finish the sentence. The words choked in his throat, and he simply wept, completely paralyzed by his own helplessness.
Back on the field, Kuro forced his trembling body to stand. Fueled by pure desperation, he lunged toward Gotaru and lashed out with a powerful kick without wasting a single second.
But Gotaru was too fast. He effortlessly blocked the kick and countered with a devastating punch. The fist smashed directly into Kuro's nose, fracturing it instantly.
Kuro stumbled back, bringing a hand to his face. Feeling the warm, thick blood gushing from his nose, his vision began to spin violently.
Before Gotaru could capitalize on it, Joya rushed into the fray, stepping in to deflect Gotaru's next strike. Gotaru's eyes flared with pure malice. Without a hint of hesitation, he unsheathed his katana in a flash and slashed it brutally across Joya's chest.
"NO! Gotaru, what the hell did you do?!" Kuro screamed in horror.
Gotaru ignored the cry, turning his murderous gaze back onto Kuro. But just as he stepped forward to deliver the killing blow, a cold, commanding voice echoed from behind them.
"What exactly is going on here?"
The moment Kuro heard that voice, he ran toward the man like a terrified, helpless child. He threw his arms around him, sobbing hysterically as he clung to his clothes.
"Big brother! Look... look what he did to Emma and Haiku! And look at Joya! Bhaiya, please save Emma and Haiku! They always wanted to become just like you... If they don't get to a hospital right now, they're going to die!"
As the words left his mouth, the intense trauma took its toll. Kuro violently coughed up blood, staining Siddharth's clothes, before collapsing unconscious to the ground.
Siddharth looked down at his blood-soaked clothes and his hands, his expression turning deathly calm. He looked over at Angel, his voice chillingly steady.
"Call an ambulance."
The moment Siddharth took a single step forward onto the blood-drenched gang war field, the shadows behind him came alive. Like an oncoming storm, forty to fifty heavily armed men emerged from the darkness, their movements perfectly synchronized. In an instant, a wall of guns was raised, all of them aimed directly at Gotaru's head.
Siddharth stared dead into Gotaru's eyes, his voice echoing with absolute authority.
"You said the game had begun, didn't you? Now, I am going to end it."
🌸 Author's Note 🌸
Hello, my lovely readers! ✨
First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who is reading and supporting Inocent not always innocent. Seeing the views grow fills my heart with so much joy, and I am incredibly grateful for each one of you! 💖
But if I'm being completely honest... every time I post a new chapter, I eagerly refresh the page, waiting to see your thoughts. And a tiny question always pops up in my mind: Why don't you guys comment? 🥺👉👈
As a writer, your comments are my biggest motivation. Writing everything out from my mind into these chapters takes a lot of heart, and when you leave a comment—even a short one—it tells me that my story is reaching you. It helps me know what you loved, what made you emotional, and what you're excited to see next! 🧠⚡
Did Haiku and Emma's heartbreaking moment touch your heart?
How epic was Siddharth's dramatic entry?
Please don't be a silent reader! Take just a few seconds to drop a comment below and share your thoughts with me. Your words give me the energy to keep bringing you intense, action-packed chapters.
I'm eagerly waiting to read your beautiful responses in the comment section! ✍️🎈
— With love, Night 🌙✨