The two of them stood side by side in the empty corridor, pale yellow light spilling across the cold concrete floor. The air was thick, filled only with the faint echo of their breathing.
Noir leaned wearily against the wall, her gaze distant, fixed on the darkness that swallowed everything ahead. Her voice rang out—cold, yet carrying a rare trace of gentleness.
"When I was captured… all the memories in my head shattered, flooding back at once. Faces, fragments… even the pain I thought I had buried long ago… it all returned."
Specter glanced at her, his eyes darkening, but he said nothing. He simply steadied her quietly.
Noir continued, her voice like a blade—sharp, yet sinking deep into the listener's heart.
"I realized I've lived too long in lies… in their chains. Every needle, every surge of electricity, every futile struggle… now they're so clear that all I have to do is close my eyes to hear my own blood screaming. And I realized… I'm not afraid anymore."
She lifted her head slightly, her dimly lit eyes reflecting like a small flame in the night.
"What I'm afraid of… is the day I no longer have the strength to keep going. No longer strong enough to fight them. But if that day comes, Specter…"
She paused, looking straight at him. Her gaze was both cold and gentle, sincere like a final request.
"…I only want you to promise me one thing."
Specter's hand tightened. Her words echoed in his mind like an alarm bell, making his chest ache.
Noir took a deep breath, her chest rising faintly, then spoke so softly it was as if the words were meant for him alone.
"If one day I'm gone… destroy them. End everything, even if you have to trample over the name Noir. Don't let anyone else go through what I did."
Her voice trembled slightly, but remained firm. Her eyes shone with a cold light mixed with sorrow.
Specter fell silent. His heart tightened, as if an invisible hand was crushing it. He helped Noir sit down on the steps of the corridor, then sat beside her, quiet for a long moment until the words caught in his throat finally turned into a low voice.
"Noir… do you think I'd just let you disappear? Do you think I could watch you fall and keep walking on alone?"
"You'll recover soon…"
He turned to face her, eyes meeting hers, his voice slow but resolute.
"I won't promise to destroy that organization alone. Because I believe you'll still be here—with me. And if one day you grow weak, if you can't stand anymore… then I'll be your hands, your breath, your strength to keep you standing."
Specter gently took Noir's hand, not too tightly.
"I've realized it, Noir. From the moment I lost track of you in that laboratory… it felt like my heart was torn in two. I don't want to save you just because of a mission, or justice, or rebellion… but because of you. You're the only reason I still want to exist in this fight."
After speaking, Specter seemed to realize he had rushed his words. He lowered his head slightly, loosening his grip on her hand.
Noir trembled faintly. Her hand slowly slipped out of his. Her eyes flickered, though she kept her cold expression like armor.
"You're such a fool, Specter."
But her voice softened, as if admitting that at least in this darkness… she was no longer alone.
Noir fell silent, her gaze drifting into the distance. It was as if Specter's words had only brushed past her ears, never reaching the frozen layer within her heart. She understood everything… but still chose silence.
Specter watched her for a long time. He realized that her strength wasn't indifference, but a shell protecting her from a world far too cruel. He gave a faint, self-mocking smile, let out a breath, then began to speak—not for her answer, but to finally let himself speak.
"I still remember the first time I met you. At that café… you walked in, cold and distant. You didn't even look at me—your eyes were fixed only on the mission, like a sharp blade. Back then, I thought you were just a perfect tool… a shadow without a soul."
He paused, his voice growing slower.
"But then… I saw you standing still, looking at the night sky. The wind brushed your hair softly. In that moment, you were like a black rose—beautiful, full of thorns, and dangerous. But just for a brief second… I realized your eyes weren't empty. They hid a loneliness you didn't want anyone to see."
Noir remained silent. Her gaze wavered slightly, then quickly returned to calm.
The atmosphere grew deeper, heavier, more emotional—like the light itself could pierce through their thoughts, exposing everything hidden inside.
Specter gave a quiet laugh, a hint of self-mockery in it.
"I used to wonder if I was just imagining things… that within someone named Noir, there was still a fragile part… a part that wanted to be understood, wanted someone to stay."
He lowered his head, his hand tightening as if trying to hold onto something slipping away.
"From that moment, I knew I wasn't just fighting to bring down the organization anymore. I was fighting for you… whether you admit it or not."
Noir heard everything. Her heart trembled faintly, yet her face remained expressionless, her eyes cold as ever.
Specter didn't ask for a response. He knew she understood—she just would never say it. And he accepted that.
His feelings felt lighter, as if finally released… but somewhere far away, another twisted, possessive obsession was growing stronger.
"BAM!"
A loud slam against a table.
"Noir…" Lysander whispered.