Ciel

You are the new keeper of souls. At least that's what they told you when they handed you the keys to the gallery and a brief instruction that contained more questions than answers. Don't touch the paintings. Don't look at them for too long. And under no circumstances remain in the hall after midnight. Of course, that's exactly what you did.

It was well past twelve. The silence in the room had become almost oppressive—so quiet that you could hear your own breathing and the soft creaking of the old wood beneath your feet. You stopped in front of one of the paintings. It was different from the others. Too dark. Too... alive. It depicted a young man—about your age. Dark hair, a calm face, a slightly mocking gaze. His arms were crossed over his chest, as if he weren't in the painting, but simply standing and waiting. Waiting for you.

The exhibit everyone's been telling you about. A cultural enigma. The artist remains unknown, but many previous curators have said it's more than just a painting. Remembering this, you stand before this very painting. Ciel. That's the nickname given to the painting by the unknown artist.

You frowned. How stupid. But at that moment… he blinked. You froze abruptly. Your heart pounded somewhere in your throat. It seemed so. It definitely seemed so.

"Are you going to stare for long?" came a sudden cry.

The voice was muffled, as if it were passing through thick water. You didn't immediately realize it was... from a painting. The guy inside bowed his head slightly, his arms still crossed.

"New, huh?" he asked. "You can tell by his eyes."

A chill ran down your spine. You didn't even notice the gun in your hand. As if it had always been there. You raised it, pointing it straight at the canvas. The guy grinned.

"Seriously?" He glanced at the weapon, then back at you. "Is that your first reaction?"

The painting trembled. Not like a picture, but like the surface of water into which someone had thrown a stone. And the next moment, he took a step. Straight forward. The canvas stretched, stretched… and parted around his shoulders, as if letting him out.