> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cryptonunsnft.gitbook.io/cryptonunsnft/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cryptonunsnft.gitbook.io/cryptonunsnft/chapter-two-a-bleeding-rose.md).

# Chapter Two: A Bleeding Rose

*“What is man but a pile of secrets.”–Anonymous*

 

It was a Thursday night again. The strange man was back in the store, but this time Uncle Haruto oddly sent Nakano on an errand for no apparent reason. 

As soon as she left, Haruto invited the man into his office and called Suki in. Akasuki was skeptic about the strange man in the room but she felt there was nothing to worry about since her uncle was around.

The man remained silent and eventually Uncle Haruto left the room, telling Akasuki to keep his guest company till he came back. She didn’t understand what he meant at first until she heard a crank in the door from the turn of a key as Haruto closed the door behind him.

The panic set in.

“What are you doing?” She said as the man quickly made his way towards her like a ravaging bull.

“Stop!!” Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what was going on.

Suki pushed and fought with all her might. But the man was overwhelmingly strong and all her efforts felt as futile as a bug trying to wrestle a lion.

In a matter of minutes, he had his way with her. Akasuki wasn’t a virgin, but she had only had sex once in her life and had never been raped before…not like any of that made what she felt any easier.

As if he had been standing outside the door, Haruto turned the lock and opened the door. Suki was crying, and through blurry vision she could still see that her uncle’s face was devoid of any expression. It was the face of someone who had been used to this kind of arrangement.

“She’ll do just fine.” Said the man who had just raped her.

“There’s another one, if you’re interested.” Haruto suggested, referring to Nakano.

“This will do.” The man referred to Akasuki like some piece of meat.

“Then our deal is done. As agreed, you have a taste of the merchandise, then you pay up.”

“Sure.” The man smiled. “You’ll get your money.”

Haruto knew better than to argue with the collector.

Without saying any more, the collector signaled for his two man security detail waiting outside by a nondescript sedan to come get Akasuki out.

She wiggled and screamed, but no one heard, or seemed to care. Suddenly the man who had raped her knocked her out with a blow to the face.

Nakano was rounding the corner after her pointless errand for her uncle, only to see Suki being carried by a man in a black suit.

“Akasuki!!” She shrieked, dropping the bag she carried, and ran towards her sister.

One of the men in suit pulled out a gun, but the strange man from earlier raised a hand, ordering him to stay down.

The sight of a gun wasn’t enough to break Nakano’s strides to her sister’s rescue. But it was cut short when the muscle packed weight of a fist rammed into her face, causing her to fall abruptly to the floor…unconscious, and in pain.

About half an hour later when Nakano woke up, her eyes flickered slowly, as if groaning to be of used after its last ordeal. She couldn’t tell much of what was going on, but she knew she heard voices around her.

“Nakano.” A voice said, it seemed to resonate from a distance.

“Nakano!” It came again, clearer this time.

She opened her eyes fully, and the events of the last one hour came flooding into her mind, causing her to jolt upright from her bed.

“You bastard!” She shrieked at her uncle. “Where’s Suki! What did you do with Suki!”

“Language, child. Language.” Haruto replied his niece. “She’s being taken care of…by men who ask for nothing but a little sugar in return.”

“You sold her off! How could you!”

“The question should be, how could I not.” Haruto retorted. “You see, Nakano. I have to put food on the table just like your father back home. Now, I understand things are quite rough for you and your family back home, and that’s why I’ve given Suki a better life. Can’t you see?” His voice was soft, almost as if he was trying to get her to see reason in his words.

Nakano just bolted from the bed to the door and out.

“They won’t believe you, foolish girl.” Haruto said from behind her, laughing. “They never will.”

  **•••••••**

 

Outside, Nakano ran to the nearest phone booth she could find. A new installment in modern day Japan. She had the number for her home land line back in downtown Tokyo, and so she dialed it.

“Who's this?” Came a voice after a few beeps. Her father’s voice.

“Otosan, it’s me, Nano.” Her voice trembled.

“Nakano? What troubles you, my child?”

“Suki…” Her voice cracked. “He took her, papa. He sold Suki to strange men. He–“

“Oh for the love of the ancestors, would you shut up.” Her father interjected forcefully. “You know Haruto said you’ve been acting strange lately.”

Her eyes widened. “He called you? Father, you can’t believe anything he says, please.”

“Shut up, you stupid girl.” Despite how angry he was, Nakano could sense heavy disappointment in her father’s voice. “Your sister has brought shame to this family by her act. She never should have run away.”

“She didn’t!!” Nakano’s eyes widened an inch more in horror.

“You both have brought shame to the clan. I don’t know you, and I never will.” The line went dead…

 

**•••••••**

Nakano had been weeping for the last one hour in the phone booth. She couldn’t believe everything that was happening. Her whole world seemed to be crumbling around her and she felt helpless, drained…and alone.

“You need rest.” The voice of a man said, causing Nakano to spin around quickly.

“Who are you?” She asked with heavy caution.

“A priest.”

“That’s odd. I can’t remember seeing any cathedral around here.”

“Well, I’m not your regular cathedral priest.”

Suddenly Nakano felt trapped in the booth.

“Relax, if I wanted to hurt you, you’d be in pains by now.”

“You'd have to get in line.” She said, not kidding.

“I can help you with Haruto.” The priest said point blankly.

Her eyes widened in shock.

“We’ve been watching him, and men like him for awhile now.”

“We?” Nakano asked, puzzled.

“Long story. Either way, Haruto has key powers that be backing him. If you want to get your sister back and possibly help girls like her all over the world, you’d have to be prepared. I’m willing to help because I lost my niece to child trafficking. She was only four.”

“I’m so sorry about that.” Nakano replied genuinely. “But I don’t know you… Priest.”

“You don’t have to.” He reached into his breast pocket and fished out a piece of paper. “Here’s all you need to know…for now.”

He handed it to her, and she tentatively accepted. The paper had markings on a particular spot with one name on it.

“The Himalayas?” Nakano asked, perplexed.

“Yes.”

“What do I do, assuming I’m even able to get there”?

“The Monastery finds those who seek it with genuine intentions.” The priest replied.

Nakano moved to the light of the phone to squint at the piece of paper, maybe she missed something. By the time she looked back at the priest, he was gone.

Nakano just stood there. She knew she couldn’t go back home…any home for that matter. All she cared about was finding her sister. If this Monastery the priest spoke of offered that. Then Nakano knew what she had to do…