Asian // Age: 20 // pronounce: she/her Multifandom , MDNI, anti dni please!!!!, Jirai kei (I'm too lazy to change username although I'm neurodivergentmajor) https://linktr.ee/Miemiko
ʚɞ I like gaming, anime, drawing/sketching, writing sometimes editing
ʚɞ The type of content I post: fanfic or grid headcanon, playlist, etc
ʚɞ Fandoms: My Hero Academia, Bungo Stray Dogs, Tokyo Revengers, Demon Slayer, Haikyuu, Kuroshitsuji, Moriarty the Patriot, or in games: Yakuza, Shenmue, and Love and Deepspace, etc.
ʚɞ Rules ʚɞ
⤷ No social or political, or religious drama: I never share my personal opinion regarding this stuff on social media
⤷ The fanfic that I make is for entertainment, and I have no intention to offend anyone
⤷ No kink shame or homophobia and transphobia, even rascism will be allowed. Like, if you don't like some ships or some characters you can ignore
⤷ Also, I am present on Wattpad, Ao3, so if you people have read something similar, it could be mine; otherwise, read from the link.
⤷ I recently tagged the MDNI heading, as my content potentially can be dark theme, hence I don't want moral policing or people being sensitive to such topics
⤷ Antis do not interact I don't think I need to explain.
Six-year-old you had been crying for what felt like hours.
Two daycare workers were already exhausted, trying everything they could think of to calm you down, but nothing worked.
Every time they wiped your tears, you cried even harder, calling for your mother. "I want Mama...!"
One of the workers sighed. "She's surprisingly fast for such a little girl."
While the two women were distracted talking to each other, you suddenly slipped out of one's grasp and ran down the hallway.
Your tiny bunny plushie was clutched tightly against your chest as you hid inside an empty room, burying your face into it while sobbing.
A few moments later, someone quietly sat beside you. You didn't even look at him. You just kept crying.
"...Your face is all red."
You froze for a second before glaring at the boy through watery eyes. "I don't like you..."
The boy only grinned wider. "You look funny."
"I said I don't like you!"
He laughed, not bothered in the slightest. After a moment, his smile softened as he tilted his head. "...Do you miss your mom?"
You sniffled and nodded without saying a word.
"Mine too." He smiled as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "She told me she had something important to do. But she'll come back one day."
You slowly looked at him. He didn't seem sad....He believed every word he said. Somehow... that bright smile made you stop crying.
"So don't worry." He bumped your shoulder lightly. "Your mom will come back too."
For the first time since arriving at the daycare, your sobs finally quieted.
The boy stood up and held out his hand with a confident grin."It's hard surviving this place by yourself. Stay with me."
You stared at his hand for a long moment before wiping your tears with your sleeve. "...Only if you promise."
"Hm?"
"You won't leave me."
The boy blinked before laughing. "That's easy." He puffed out his chest proudly. "I promise... I'll never leave you"
You studied his face for another second, then slowly reached out and placed your tiny hand in his. "...Okay."
"My name's Kurokawa Izana."
"...I'm ...Y/N."
From that day onward, the two of you became almost impossible to separate.
You constantly dragged Izana into whatever game came to your mind, and whenever he refused, you'd burst into tears until he finally gave in. For some reason, Izana absolutely hated seeing you cry.
"I don't wanna play house again," Izana groaned as you shoved the paper crown into his hands.
"You have to," you insisted. "You're the prince."
"I was the prince yesterday. And the day before." Izana clicked his tongue before looking at you suspiciously. "...Why do I always have to be the prince?"
You looked at him as if the answer was obvious. "Because I'm the princess.... princesses marry princes."
Izana blinked once before making the most disgusted face a nine-year-old could manage. "Eww."
Your cheeks puffed up. "What's 'eww' supposed to mean?!"
"It means you're weird."
You stomped your foot before pushing the crown back against his chest. "I don't wanna marry a king."
"Why not?"
"Because kings are dads."
Izana stared at you for a few seconds before a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Then become the queen."
You frowned. "...Huh?"
"I'll be the king. You can be the queen."
You immediately shook your head. "No! Queens are moms!"
For a second, Izana just stared at you before bursting into laughter. "You're actually stupid."
You immediately smacked his arm. "I'm not stupid!"
"...Ow! Fine, fine!" Izana quickly put the crown back on before you started crying. "I'll be the dumb prince again."
Over the time Izana dragged a little boy over to you. "Y/N, this is Kakucho."
You stared at the quiet boy for a second before your eyes settled on the large scar across his head. It reminded you of the marks you sometimes saw on your mother's arms, only much worse.
"Does it hurt?" you asked without thinking.
Kakucho looked surprised by the question before touching his cheek. "...Not anymore."
You simply nodded before smiling. "Okay."
Izana rolled his eyes before pushing Kakucho toward you. "See? I told you she isn't scary."
"I never said she was..."
"You thought it."
Kakucho quietly looked away, making Izana laugh.
Eventually, Kakucho opened up, and before long, the three of you were together almost every day. The only problem was whenever you wanted to play house, Izana and Kakucho would immediately come up with another game.
"Let's go play tag," Izana quickly suggested.
Kakucho nodded. "Yeah... tag sounds fun."
You narrowed your eyes at the two boys. "You just don't wanna play with me."
"We do."
"Then play house."
"...No."
Before you could grab either of them, both boys took off running across the yard.
"Get back here!" you shouted while chasing after them. "Cowards!"
One Day, one of the caretakers came to get Izana, saying he had a visitor. Curious, you and Kakucho quietly followed behind, hiding near the entrance while watching from a distance. After all, Izana always talked about his mother coming back one day.
Instead, a weird teenager with a pompadour was waiting outside. Izana immediately smiled and ran over to him while you frowned in confusion.
"...That's not his mom ," you whispered.
Kakucho slowly shook his head. "...Who is that?"
The two of you continued watching from your hiding spot until the older boy suddenly lifted Izana onto the back of his motorcycle.
Your eyes widened. "He's kidnapping Zana!"
Before Kakucho could stop you, you ran out from behind the wall and stood in front of the motorcycle with both arms spread wide.
"You can't take him! I won't let you kidnap my friend"
The older boy blinked. "...Huh?"
Behind you, Kakucho nervously peeked out from the corner before quickly hiding again.
The older boy stared at you for a second before bursting into laughter. "Izana, Your little friend is trying to save you."
Izana covered his face with one hand. "...She's not little."
Shinichiro crouched down until he was closer to your height and smiled. "I'm Sano Shinichiro. I'm Izana's older brother."
You narrowed your eyes suspiciously. "Liar. You don't look alike."
Shinichiro laughed so hard he almost lost his balance. "Ouch... she's got me there."
He reached over, trying to poke your nose, but you immediately slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me."
Shinichiro raised an eyebrow before glancing back at Izana with a teasing grin. "So this is your little girlfriend?"
Izana's face instantly turned red. "She's not my girlfriend!"
"Really? She was ready to fight me for you."
"Because she thought you were kidnapping me!"
You folded your arms and frowned at Shinichiro. "You're making weird stuff up."
Shinichiro only laughed harder while ruffling Izana's hair. "Relax, I'm just teasing."
That after Izana finally explained everything, you and Kakucho discovered he actually had an older brother... and a little sister named Emma. And how his older brother preparing to take him back home.
However
After that incident, Izana was never the same. The cheerful boy who used to laugh with you slowly disappeared, replaced by someone much colder.
Before long, he was sent to juvenile detention, leaving you and Kakucho alone at the orphanage.
When Izana finally returned, he barely glance at two of you. Kakucho and you thought that juvenile might changed him.
Soon you heard some rumors about Izana is some gang leader you don't understand anything about gang but kakucho and you runaway from orphanage and live his place.
Even if he acted distant, you and Kakucho continued following him whenever he showed up. It became such a common sight that Izana eventually stopped telling the two of you to go home.
Not long after that, Izana finally decided to introduce you and Kakucho to the people he'd been spending all his time with.
"So these are the kids?" Ran asked with an amused smile as he looked between you and Kakucho.
Before you could answer, Shion pushed past him and walked straight over. "The name's Shion Madarame. I'm one of Izana's strongest men. If you ever need anything, just ask me."
Mochi looked at him for a few seconds before sighing. "Every damn time..." He reached over and smacked the back of Shion's head. "Quit making yourself sound important."
Shion rubbed the back of his head and shot him an annoyed glare. "The hell was that for?"
"You've said that to every new person you've met."
"So? It's called making an impression."
"It's called being full of yourself."
You couldn't help staring at the two of them before leaning toward Izana. "...Are they always like this?"
Izana didn't even look surprised. "Pretty much."
Before you could say anything else, Ran casually walked over and leaned down until your faces quietly studying you without saying a word.
You frowned and took half a step back. "...Why are you staring at me?"
"Hm..." Ran smiling to himself. "There we go. I can finally see your face."
You blinked in confusion.
"Never mind he got terrible eye sight," Rindou muttered with a tired sigh before looking toward you and Kakucho. "People always think he trying to scare them."
Then Ran asked Izana "Still don't get why Izana keeps dragging kids around."
"They're from the orphanage," Izana answered before either you could respond. "We grew up together."
Rindou scratched the back of his neck and looked away. "...Didn't know that."
"It's fine," you replied, though you still folded your arms. "You're still kind of mean."
Ran laughed under his breath while Rindou clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed at himself for making a bad first impression.
Mucho quietly walked over to Kakucho. "Izana says you've started learning how to fight."
Kakucho looked a little surprised that he already knew his name, but nodded anyway. "I'm... still not very good."
"You'll get there," Mucho replied calmly. "Just don't rush it."
Even though you found them strange at first, it didn't take long before you got along with everyone.
But as the months passed, you noticed Izana slowly changing.
He still smiled... but it wasn't the same smile you had fallen for. He spent more and more time with his gang, often coming home exhausted, carrying burdens he refused to share with anyone.
You hated it.
Not because he had changed...
But because you no longer knew how to make him smile the way he used to.
One rainy evening, the apartment door slowly opened and Izana stepped inside completely soaked.
You immediately stood up from the couch and grabbed a towel. "You're completely drenched." You walked over and reached up to dry his hair.
but before the towel could touch him, Izana grabbed your wrist and pushed your hand away.
"Just leave me alone," he muttered, avoiding your eyes as he sat down against the wall. "I'm not in the mood today."
You frowned before quietly sitting down beside him anyway. "You're never this quiet." You nudged his shoulder with yours, trying to make him look at you. "Did something happen?"
Izana let out a hollow laugh and buried his face in his hands. "Something always happens.?! They lied to me... all of them. My mother... my brother... everyone kept lying until there was nothing left."
You stared at him in disbelief. It was the first time you'd ever seen him like this, and before you realized it, your own eyes had already begun to sting. Seeing him break apart in front of you hurt far more than you wanted to admit.
"Don't cry," Izana said the moment he noticed your tears. He looked away with a frustrated sigh before rubbing his face. "I don't want you looking at me like this."
"I'm crying because you're crying," Without asking, you wrapped both arms around him and rested your head against his shoulder. "You keep saying you don't have anyone... but that's not true... We are still together"
"Don't say things you don't understand." He looked at you with tired eyes. "Life isn't like those stupid games we used to play as kids. You can't just pretend people are family because you want them to be."
You tightened your arms around him instead of letting go. "Then we'll become one. You, me, and Kakucho. He's basically our little brother already, so we'll make our own family."
Izana simply stared at you as he was trying to decide whether to believe your words, then suddenly pulled you into a tight embrace and buried his face against your shoulder.
"...Promise me," he whispered after a long silence. "Promise you'll stay... and give me the family I never had."
You smiled softly before hugging him back just as tightly. "I already promised you that years ago." You gently rested your forehead against his. "This time... I'm old enough to keep it."
Over time, life slowly began to settle down.
Kakucho eventually rented a small apartment only a few streets away. He still came over almost every day.
While you looked around the tiny living room before letting out a dramatic sigh. "I can't believe the great Izana Kurokawa lives in a place this small."
Izana raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with it?"
"Everything." You pointed around the apartment with both hands. "The sofa's too old, the kitchen's tiny, and don't even get me started on the bathroom. This place doesn't even look cute."
A quiet laugh escaped him. "So that's your biggest concern?"
"Of course it is." You crossed your arms and pouted. "I want a house that looks like the ones in those fashion magazines. Big windows, pretty furniture, flowers outside..." Your eyes lit up as you kept talking.
Izana watched you ramble without interrupting. The corner of his lips slowly lifted before he reached over and pulled you into his lap. "You always dream too big."
You rested your head against his shoulder and smiled. "Someone has to."
He wrapped both arms around your waist and rested his chin on your head "...I'll become king."
You looked up at him in confusion before laughing. "You're still calling yourself that?"
"I told you when we were kids." A faint smile appeared on his face. "I'll become king.....And you'll be my queen."
Years ago, you would have puffed out your cheeks and argued that queens were mothers.
This time...
You only smiled. "...Okay... I'll be your queen" You leaning against him again. "But don't dare to leave me alone never"
"You won't have to worry about anything," Izana said quietly as he tightened his arms around you. "I'll make sure nobody hurts you ever again."
You smiled without a second thought. "I know."
Present ~
"I didn't expect you to be here," you said as you looked up from Izana's gravestone, carefully arranging the bags of snacks and drinks around it.
Kakucho scratched the back of his neck before giving a small shrug. "Neither did I."
Ran walked over while dragging a grumbling Rindou with him. Mochizuki and Shion followed close behind.
You blinked in surprise. "...All of you?"
Ran shrugged his shoulders. "Thought we'd finally come visit the king."
It had been almost two years since Izana died. You visited him often, but this was the first time everyone had come together.
Mochizuki's attention shifted to the pile of snacks surrounding the gravestone. "Damn... you really brought all of that for him?"
The moment he reached for a taiyaki, you smacked his hand away. "Oi. Those snacks are for Izana, not for you."
Mochizuki rubbed the back of his hand with a frown. "He's not gonna eat them."
"Maybe not, but you're definitely not eating them either."
Shion burst into laughter while Mochizuki clicked his tongue. "You're so stingy."
Ran ignored the two of them and quietly placed a bottle of wine in front of the gravestone.
"You never got to celebrate your twentieth birthday... so here. You'll probably like this."
The moment Rindou saw the label on the bottle, his eyes narrowed. "...Brother."
"What?"
"That's my wine."
Ran looked down at the bottle before nodding. "Yeah."
"You stole it from my collection."
"Borrowed it."
Rindou folded his arms. "You didn't even ask."
Ran grinned. "Because you'd have said no."
Rindou sighed in defeat. "...You're unbelievable."
Your eyes never left Izana's name carved into the stone. "...I still hate you for breaking your promise....You promised you'd never leave me... you promised you'd never hurt me... and you promised you'd always protect me."
Your fingers slowly tightened against the cold stone. "...And here I am."
Kakucho quietly lowered his head. He understood why Izana had made that choice, but understanding it never made accepting it any easier.
Mochizuki smiled faintly as he looked at the snacks. "Remember when we'd raid convenience stores after meetings?"
Ran chuckled. "He'd always grab every snack he wanted..."
"...Then disappear before paying," Mochizuki finished with a sigh.
A quiet laugh escaped you. "...Yeah. That sounds exactly like him."
Shion suddenly crossed his arms. "You know... I think I'm cursed....Every gang I join loses its leader."
A brief silence followed before Rindou laughed. "Don't ever say that in front of Sanzu now that we're in Kanto Manji."
Shion immediately looked horrified. "Hell no! That creepy bastard would actually kill me if something happened to Mikey!"
Even Kakucho smiled. "...Yeah... he probably would."
Kakucho looked back at Izana's gravestone, his smile disappearing. "...Sometimes I still think it should've been me."
You immediately turned toward him. "Don't say that....Stop pitying yourself and live the life Izana sacrificed for. If you keep wishing you died instead of him, then you're throwing away the life he protected."
Kakucho looked down at the ground without replying.
You slowly turned back toward the gravestone. "...Izana always acted like he didn't care." A shaky smile crossed your face as tears blurred your vision."...But he cared about everyone more than himself."
The memory came back before you could stop it.
Back when Izana had become Tenjiku's leader, he'd locked you inside the apartment. You cried and banged on the door, begging him to let you go with him, refusing to leave him alone.
You still remembered him stopping outside the door.
His voice had been so quiet you almost hadn't heard it. "If anything happens to you... I'll never forgive myself."
Your shoulders trembled. "...Idiot."
Nobody said anything for a while.
Ran quietly uncorked the wine bottle before pouring a little onto the ground. He raised the bottle toward the gravestone with a faint smile. "You would've been twenty-one this year. Happy birthday, king."
A comfortable silence settled over the group. It lasted for exactly five seconds.
"...Oi."
You turned around just in time to see Shion stuffing a taiyaki into his mouth while holding a bag of chips under his arm.
You stared at him. "...Shion."
He froze. "...What?"
"Those were for Izana!"
Shion swallowed the bite in his mouth. "He would've shared."
"Give them back!"
"I already took a bite!"
"Then give me the rest!"
Mochizuki burst into laughter while Shion hurried away with the snacks. "See? I told you she'd chase you!"
"Shut up! Help me!" Shion shouted as you ran after him.
Ran watched the chaos with an amused smile before reaching for the wine bottle again.
Rindou immediately slapped his hand away. "Oi. Stop drinking my wine."
"It's Izana's birthday."
"It's still my wine."
"You're so stingy."
"Says the thief."
Mochizuki laughed even harder as the Haitani brothers started arguing beside the gravestone.
Looking at everyone bickering, stealing snacks, and causing trouble around him,
Ran smiled softly toward Izana's grave.
"...You would've loved this."
♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡
To be continued..
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Taglist: @sprinklecupcakee
Anyway, Taglist is open if you're interested; DM or comment.
Hii could you do a one shot about reader who’s basically like Mikey’s older sister figure? Like a bunch of scenes from when he was younger and older of reader and Mikey and some w his friends? Thank youu!!
I love platonic fics too! 💗 I'll definitely try to write something with an older sister figure and Mikey. I might include other characters too, like Baji, Kazutora, and Haruchiyo. Thank you so much for the idea! 🫶💗
Shinichiro and Takeomi walked through the school gates with high hopes for their new school life. New friends, new experiences... and for Shinichiro, maybe even his first girlfriend.
Unfortunately, reality wasn't nearly as kind.
Within his first year of high school, Shinichiro confessed to several girls.
Every single one rejected him. He never even got a proper explanation. Some girls made excuses; others simply ran away the moment they realized he was that Shinichiro Sano from Black Dragon.
After enough rejections, Shinichiro and Takeomi came to the same conclusion.
It had to be because they were delinquents.
By then, Black Dragon's reputation had already spread throughout Minegahara High, but neither of them cared enough to change.
Skipping classes, smoking behind the school building, getting into fights, and causing trouble around campus had practically become part of their daily routine.
Until one afternoon, Shinichiro and Takeomi were doing what they usually did best—running through the school corridors after skipping class.
"Oi, hurry up!" Shinichiro laughed as he sprinted toward the staircase.
"Quit yelling, dumbass!" Takeomi shouted back while trying to catch up.
As Shinichiro rounded the corner, he suddenly slammed straight into someone. "Ah—"
The impact sent books flying across the hallway. Something else crashed onto the floor with a loud crack beneath his shoe.
Shinichiro froze. "...Huh?"
He looked down. A carefully built miniature model had been crushed beneath his foot.
Before he could even apologize—
Smack!
Shinichiro blinked in complete confusion before slowly turning back toward the girl in front of him.
You grabbed the front of his uniform and yanked him closer. "Do you know I spent almost three damn months making that model?!... You and this punk destroyed it in one second!"
Takeomi pointed at himself. "Oi, why am I getting blamed too?"
"Because you were running with him!"
Shinichiro barely heard the argument. Instead, he found himself staring at you. It was the first time a girl had ever grabbed him by the collar like this.
You looked absolutely furious, but your eyes had already started watering as you glanced at the broken model lying on the floor.
A grin slowly spread across Shinichiro's face. "Are you... crying?"
Smack!
Your second slap echoed through the hallway. "You asshole!"
Your friends immediately rushed over before you could hit him a third time. "Y/N, calm down!"
"Forget him! Let's just go!"
You shot Shinichiro one last glare before letting your friends drag you away.
Shinichiro stood there rubbing his stinging cheek. Then, he looked at Takeomi. "...Fuck. She's exactly my type."
Takeomi stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter. "You're serious? She slapped you twice!"
"I know."
"...You're a damn masochist."
Shinichiro shrugged. "Shut up." A stupid grin spread across his face. "Let's find out what class she's is in."
Takeomi sighed before shaking his head. "You're actually hopeless."
Quickly returned to normal after that.
The two continued skipping classes, smoking behind the school building and getting into trouble whenever they felt bored until one day they overheard a group of students excitedly talking about the upcoming school festival.
Apparently every class would be participating, and students were already preparing events, performances and competitions.
For once, the two actually wanted to join a school event. The problem was convincing a teacher to let infamous delinquents participate.
They headed straight for their favorite teacher.
Unlike most of the staff, he never looked down on them just because they were Black Dragon members. He was strict when they deserved it, but he also understood their family situations and genuinely wanted them to graduate.
Unfortunately...
The answer was still
"Absolutely not." The teacher folded his arms. "Your attendance is terrible, your grades are worse, and both of you spend more time outside the classroom than inside it."
Shinichiro scratched the back of his head. "Come on, Sensei..."
"No."
Takeomi clicked his tongue. "Not even a little?"
"Improve your grades and stop skipping class." The teacher looked at both of them. "Then we'll talk about the festival."
Meanwhile, you were still annoyed about what had happened earlier.
"I seriously hate delinquents." You frowned. "They're loud, annoying, and they think they can do whatever they want."
Your friends exchanged nervous looks.
Ayako let out a small sigh. "Y/N... Shinichiro-kun is in our class."
You blinked. "...Seriously?"
Another girl immediately leaned closer. "You should stay away from him. He's the leader of Black Dragon."
Your eyebrows knitted together. "Black Dragon?"
The girls quickly nodded. "Everyone says they're dangerous."
"My brother told me they beat people up all the time."
Another girl spoke up. "I even heard Shinichiro-kun and Takeomi-kun already have kids."
You looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "...They're high school students."
"I know!" she whispered. "That's why it's so creepy."
Ayako frowned. "Whatever the rumors are... just don't pick a fight with them again."
"Yeah." Another friend nodded. "If they hold a grudge, what if they come after you?"
You clicked your tongue. "I'm not scared of some stupid delinquents."
Just then, the classroom door slid open.
Shinichiro and Takeomi casually walked inside.
Your eyes met Shinichiro's for a second before you immediately looked away with an annoyed click of your tongue.
Shinichiro, meanwhile... Couldn't stop grinning like an idiot. He casually tossed his bag onto the desk beside yours before pulling out the chair.
He flashed an easy grin. "Finally found you."
You blinked. "...Found me?"
"Yeah." He nodded like it was obvious. "I've been looking for which class you were in."
Your eyes widened for a second. "...Why?"
"Wanted to apologize." He scratched the back of his head. "About your model. I really didn't mean to break it."
You looked away for a moment before quietly answering. "...It still took me three months to make."
Shinichiro's smile faded a little. "I know... I'm really sorry."
The silence between you only lasted a few seconds before Shinichiro smiled again. " So..."
You looked at him. "...What?"
"Can we start over?"
You stared at him as if he had just asked the strangest question in the world. "...We're strangers."
"Exactly." Shinichiro nodded proudly. "Perfect time to start over."
Before Shinichiro could answer again, the teacher slammed the attendance book onto the desk. "Sano! If you're done flirting, I'd like to start today's lesson."
You embarrassed. "W-We weren't flirting!"
Shinichiro blinked. "...We weren't?"
The teacher sighed. "Sano, stop bothering the poor girl and face the blackboard."
Takeomi leaned back in his chair, barely holding in his laughter. "Damn, Shin. First day and Sensei already thinks you're flirting."
Shinichiro rubbed the back of his neck. "...I mean..." He glanced at you, smiling sheepishly. "I wasn't complaining."
Your face somehow became even hotter.
As everyone began leaving the classroom, the teacher suddenly spoke.
"Sano. Akashi. Y/N. Stay behind."
You froze.
The moment the classroom door closed, the teacher looked at the three of you. "I heard you two want to participate in the school festival."
Shinichiro nodded so fast it was almost embarrassing. "Yes, Sensei!"
The teacher sighed. "With your grades? Not happening."
Shinichiro and Takeomi immediately looked defeated. "...However."
The teacher pointed toward you. "Y/N has some of the best grades in class. She's going to help the two of you study."
You immediately shook your head. "W-What? Sensei, why me?"
"Because you're responsible."
Then he turned toward the two boys. "And the two of you are rebuilding the model you broke."
Takeomi frowned. "Sensei... we don't even know how to make one."
"Then learn."
Shinichiro didn't hear another word after that.
He was too busy staring into space with the biggest grin on his face.
We're studying together... This has to be fate.
Takeomi glanced at him before clicking his tongue. "...Look at him." He pointed at Shinichiro. "One study session and this idiot's already planning the wedding."
Shinichiro elbowed him. "Shut up."
Takeomi looked over at you instead. "And you..." He smirked. "You're like some angry little bossy cat."
You frowned. "...Bossy cat?"
"Yeah." Takeomi shrugged. "Always glaring. Always ready to scratch somebody."
Your cheeks puffed slightly. "I'm not a cat."
Takeomi laughed. "See? Told you."
You let out a long sigh before looking at the teacher. "...Fine."
The teacher gave a satisfied nod. "Good. The three of you will meet after school starting tomorrow."
Shinichiro couldn't stop smiling.
Takeomi looked at him, then at you, before muttering,"...This is gonna be a pain in the ass."
The next day, Shinichiro couldn't stop smiling to himself as if he'd just won the lottery.
Takeomi glanced at him before sighing. "Oi... quit smiling already."
"Can't." Shinichiro shrugged. "Today's been a good day."
Takeomi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm the one rebuilding that damn model."
You quietly walked beside them, trying not to overthink everything. Still... Your imagination refused to stop.
What if his house is full of delinquents?....What if everyone smokes?...What if they make me join Black Dragon...?
You suddenly looked at the two boys. "...And don't even think about asking someone else to build my model."
Takeomi sighed dramatically. "...There goes my backup plan."
You narrowed your eyes. "You actually had one?"
"...Maybe."
A few minutes later, the three of you stopped in front of the Sano residence.
You blinked in surprise. It wasn't as bad as you thought it would be. It was a normal family house.
Shinichiro slid the front door open. "I'm home!"
Before anyone answered, two children came running down the hallway.
"Shin-nii!"
"Shinichiro!"
The moment Mikey and Emma noticed you standing beside him, both of them froze.
Then they looked at each other with identical grins. "SHIN-NII BROUGHT A GIRL HOME!"
"SHINICHIRO HAS A GIRLFRIEND!"
Your face instantly turned red. "...G-Girlfriend?!"
Shinichiro nearly tripped over his own feet. "Oi! She's not my girlfriend!"
A woman stepped out from the kitchen after hearing all the shouting.
"Oh?" She looked between Shinichiro and you before smiling softly. "You brought a girlfriend home?"
Shinichiro rubbed the back of his neck. "Mom..."
She couldn't help teasing him. "I was starting to think you'd stay single forever with the way you scared every girl away."
Takeomi burst out laughing. "She's got a point."
Mikey suddenly grabbed your sleeve. "Don't listen to Shin-nii!"
Takeomi laughed so hard he had to hold onto the wall.
You couldn't help staring at Shinichiro.
This...The same scary delinquent everyone at school warned you about? He looked more embarrassed than dangerous.
After a moment, you quietly asked, "...Can I ask you something?"
Shinichiro looked over. "Hm?"
You hesitated before speaking. "...Is it true you and Takeomi already have children?"
Takeomi exploded with laughter.
Shinichiro blinked twice before pointing at himself. "...Me?"
"That's what everyone at school says." Takeomi laughed even harder.
"Who the hell started that rumor?" Shinichiro scratched his head.
"Those idiots are Mikey and Emma." He pointed toward the two children. "They're my little brother and sister."
You stared at Mikey. Then Emma. Then back at Shinichiro.
Mikey puffed out his chest. "We're not his kids!"
Emma nodded. "We're way cuter than his kids would be!"
Even you couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed
Shinichiro looked at you for a second and smiled to himself. It was the first time he'd seen you laugh. This laugh seemed way too precious to him, as if he was willing to do anything to protect that laugh.
Eventually, you realized Shinichiro wasn't anything like the rumors made him out to be.
He wasn't some terrifying delinquent. In fact, he was just... a loser.
One day he'd show up with scraped knees after falling off his bike. The next day he'd somehow burn instant noodles and proudly claim he was "experimenting."
Every time he tried to look cool, something embarrassing happened instead, and before you knew it, you were laughing at him more than glaring at him.
"You know..." you snickered one afternoon, "for the leader of Black Dragon, you're kind of pathetic."
Shinichiro puffed out his cheeks. "Oi! I'm trying my best here."
"Clearly."
Eventually, you dragged him to your mother's ramen shop after school.
The bell above the door rang as the two of you stepped inside.
"Oh? You're home already." Your mother looked up from the counter before noticing Shinichiro standing awkwardly behind you. A warm smile spread across her face. "And you brought a friend."
Shinichiro scratched the back of his head. "Uh... sorry for dropping by."
"Don't be silly. Sit down."
As your mother disappeared into the kitchen, Shinichiro glanced around the nearly empty shop. "...Not many customers?"
Your mother returned with two bowls of ramen and laughed softly. "Business has been a little slow lately."
Shinichiro quietly looked around the shop again before taking a bite. His eyes widened. "...This is really good."
"Right?" You grinned proudly. "I told you."
From that day on, Shinichiro started dragging people there. At first it was Takeomi. Then Wakasa and Benkei.
Soon other Black Dragon members began dropping by after school or late at night, filling half the shop with loud conversations and empty bowls.
Your mother could only laugh as she watched the once-quiet ramen shop slowly become livelier day by day.
You nudged Shinichiro's shoulder with a small smile. "...Thanks."
He rubbed the back of his neck, pretending not to care. "Don't get the wrong idea. They just have good taste."
A few weeks later, Shinichiro was lazily lying on the floor of his room when someone knocked on the front door.
"I'll get it!" Mikey shouted before running toward the entrance.
A second later, his excited voice echoed through the house. "Shin-nii! Your girlfriend's here!"
Shinichiro shot upright. "W-What?!"
He practically tripped over his own feet as he rushed downstairs.
When he reached the entrance, he found you standing there holding a small lunchbox wrapped neatly in a cloth.
"I'm not that loser's girlfriend," you immediately corrected Mikey before looking at Shinichiro. "Hi."
Shinichiro could only stare. "...You came."
You raised an eyebrow. "Obviously. You left your notebook in my bag yesterday."
"Oh..."
There was an awkward silence before you held the lunchbox toward him.
"Mom said you always bring your friends to our shop. She wanted to thank you." You looked away, trying to sound casual.
Shinichiro accepted it with both hands as if you had just handed him the greatest treasure in the world. "...For me?"
You frowned. "Who else is standing there?"
Mikey covered his mouth, trying not to laugh and Shinichiro was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt.
His crush had come to his house. She brought him food. He was pretty sure this was the happiest day of his life.
"You've been standing there smiling for a whole minute," you pointed out.
"Huh?"
"It's kind of creepy."
Shinichiro scratched the back of his neck, laughing sheepishly. "Sorry... I'm just really happy."
For some reason, hearing that made your ears grow a little warm. "...You're such a weirdo."
"Yeah," Shinichiro grinned. "But you still came to see me."
You clicked your tongue, unable to stop the small smile tugging at your lips. "...Don't make me take the food back."
Shinichiro hugged the lunchbox to his chest dramatically. "Never."
You sighed dramatically. "Gosh... you're such a sap."
Shinichiro smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
You rolled your eyes, but a small smile escaped anyway.
Shinichiro only smiled even wider. He didn't care how embarrassing he looked. If acting like a lovestruck idiot meant seeing you smile like that...
...then he'd gladly embarrass himself every day.
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Taglist: @96mcobo, @shinimania
Anyway, Taglist is open if you're interested; DM or comment.
This unc turned 46 this year, but he will still be a loser. Wdym? He is the same age as my parents.
Headcanon: Izana, Mikey, and Emma make sure Shinichiro never forgets his age. They're the type to remind him he's pushing 50 every chance they get.
Shin also feels like the kind of guy who'd get offended if nobody posted him on Facebook for his birthday, then make the corniest post himself to prove he's "still young" or "I don't need anyone"
I just know Shinichiro, Takeomi, Wakasa, and Benkei are doing everything they can to avoid a midlife crisis.
Riding beside the person you loved on a motorcycle sounded romantic, didn't it? At least, that was what Shinichiro had imagined when you asked him to teach you how to ride.
The whole thing was romantic... right up until he made the terrible decision of letting you ride his motorcycle by yourself.
"Easy, easy... don't twist the throttle too much," Shinichiro warned while jogging beside you. "Just keep it steady."
"Relax, Shinshi! I got this!" you laughed, twisting the throttle way too much.
The next second, the motorcycle shot forward. "SHINSHI! I CAN'T STOP! IT'S TOO FAST!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T STOP?!" Shinichiro yelled before sprinting after you. "I TAUGHT YOU FIVE MINUTES AGO! USE THE BRAKE!"
"WHICH ONE WAS THE BRAKE?!"
"WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME NOW?!" Shinichiro screamed as if his life was on the line
The motorcycle wobbled wildly before crashing into a pile of empty crates with a loud bang.
Shinichiro ran over so fast it looked like his life depended on it. You smiled weakly, thinking he was finally going to check if you were hurt.
Instead, he crouched beside the motorcycle. "...No, no, no..." he muttered while inspecting the scratches on the fuel tank. "My poor bike..."
You stared at him in complete disbelief before smacking the back of his head. "OI! I'M THE ONE WHO CRASHED!"
Shinichiro rubbed the sore spot before glaring back at you. "And whose fault was that? I kept telling you to slow down!"
"I TOLD YOU I COULDN'T STOP!"
"Because you panicked!"
You crossed your arms and puffed out your cheeks."You didn't even check on me first."
Shinichiro was about to argue again when his eyes landed on your scraped palms and bruised knee. His expression immediately softened as he quietly crouched in front of you.
"...Idiot." He gently took your hand. "You actually got hurt."
"They're just little bruises."
"Little or not, hold still." He carefully cleaned the dirt from your hand before blowing on the scrape.
You frowned the entire time, clearly still annoyed with him.
Trying to cheer you up, Shinichiro suddenly lifted your hand and kissed your knuckles with the most confident smile he could manage. "There. My kiss should fix everything."
You stared at him for two whole seconds before pretending to throw up. "Ugh... that's the lamest flirting I've ever heard."
Shinichiro burst into laughter. "Seriously? I thought that one was pretty smooth."
Later, he handed you a brand-new motorcycle helmet. "Here... wear this from now on."
You looked at the helmet, then at his bright red face before grinning. "Aww... Shinshi bought me a gift."
"It's not a gift!" he denied immediately. "I just don't want you getting hurt again!"
"Mhm. Keep telling yourself that."
No matter how much he tried to deny it, you refused to stop calling it your first present from him.
A few days later, you crashed at his place with a box full of paint and quietly sat on the floor of his room, painting the helmet bright yellow before adding little flowers around it.
Shinichiro walked in, stopped, and stared at the helmet in horror. "...What are you doing?"
"Making it prettier."
"It was already cool!"
"No, it was boring."
He let out an exaggerated sigh before raising both hands. "Fine... sorry. Do whatever you want."
You smiled proudly before dipping your finger into the yellow paint and poking the tip of his nose.
Shinichiro blinked cross-eyed at the yellow spot while you laughed so hard you nearly fell over.
A second later, he started laughing too, secretly deciding the helmet looked perfect because you were the one who had painted it.
Present
Shinichiro slowly opened his eyes look around the apartment. He frowned, wondering when he had bought this place.
He couldn't remember ever living here, but he didn't think too much about it and simply shrugged the thought away.
He reached over and picked up his keypad phone and checked the date. July 3, 1999.
Shinichiro let out a quiet sigh. So... he had time leaped again.
After quickly getting dressed, he grabbed his keys and headed out. The only thing on his mind was finding out whether you were alive in this timeline.
He was planning to stop by the café where you used to work sometime.
Halfway there, he noticed a familiar boy walking down the street with one hand pressed against his forehead.
Haruchiyo looked older than he remembered, but what caught Shinichiro's attention was how confused he looked.
Shinichiro frowned at him. "Haru? What's wrong?"
Haruchiyo stopped in front of him and rubbed his temple again before answering. "I... I don't know. My head hurts... and I have memories that don't make any sense."
Shinichiro's expression slowly changed. "...What kind of memories?"
Haruchiyo lowered his hand and looked directly at Shinichiro. "I remember going to your funeral. But then... I also remember Mikey being alive. I remember you being alive too."
He looked even more confused as he tried to sort through everything in his head.
"Mikey had so many friends... everyone was always together... but you and Y/N-nee barely saw each other anymore."
Shinichiro took Haruchiyo to a nearby cafe across the street. "Come on. Let's sit down first."
Shinichiro quietly explained everything from the beginning and how every leap into the past seemed to create an entirely different future.
Shinichiro gave a small nod. "Looks like you remembered every timeline too."
Haruchiyo stared down at his drink before another memory suddenly crossed his mind. "Oh... Shin-nii."
Shinichiro looked at him. "Hm?"
Haruchiyo tilted his head. "How come Takeomi lives in some fancy apartment now?"
Shinichiro blinked in confusion. "...Apartment? And fancy??"
Haruchiyo nodded. "Yeah. He barely comes home anymore." He stirred the ice in his drink. "Grandma always says he's busy with work. It's mostly just me, Senju and Grandma at home now."
Shinichiro frowned. "Busy doing what?"
Haruchiyo shrugged. "I don't know. I just know he doesn't come home much... and neither do you."
Shinichiro raised an eyebrow. "...Me?"
Haruchiyo nodded again. "Yeah. You used to visit all the time... but now I barely see you."
Shinichiro leaned back in his chair, trying to process everything he had just heard.
Takeomi... Living in a fancy apartment? The same idiot who wasted half his pocket money gambling?
It sounded ridiculous, but after everything he'd been through, he wasn't even surprised anymore.
As Haruchiyo finished his drink, Shinichiro's eyes landed on a magazine on the table. The cover advertised an upcoming idol group he casually flipped through a few pages.
His hand suddenly stopped when he noticed a familiar face no other than you. Even though it was a small article but Shinichiro stared only at your picture.
A small smile appeared on his face. "...You actually did it."
Haruchiyo leaned over the table after noticing Shinichiro staring at the magazine. He glanced at the article before smiling a little himself. "Y/N-nee?"
Shinichiro quietly nodded. "Yeah. She always wanted to become an idol. Looks like she finally got her chance."
After leaving the café, Shinichiro headed straight toward your place but stopped near your mother's ramen shop.
He had been there countless times before, but this time the small ramen shop was packed with customers. It was nothing like the quiet little family shop he remembered.
Shinichiro stepped inside and looked around until he finally spotted your mother. "...Miss L/N."
Your mother looked toward the entrance after hearing the familiar voice. The moment her eyes met Shinichiro's, she froze in place. "...Shin-kun?"
"I... I didn't expect to see you here." She forced a small smile before looking at one of the employees. "Can you watch the front for a little while?"
The employee nodded in understanding.
Your mother turned back toward Shinichiro, gesturing for him to follow her. "Come with me. We can talk in the back."
She led him through the kitchen and into a small room where the noise from the restaurant became much quieter.
After closing the door behind them, she looked at Shinichiro again before letting out a quiet sigh. "...It's been almost a year."
Shinichiro lowered his gaze and gave a small nod. "Yeah... it has."
Shinichiro finally spoke again. "...How's Y/N? How has she been... after the accident?"
She looked down at her hands before letting out a small sigh. "She's doing much better now. After finishing school, she joined an agency now become an idol trainee. She's been chasing that dream of hers ever since she was little."
A small smile escaped Shinichiro. "...She actually became one."
"Not quite yet." She laughed softly. "She's still a trainee, but she's working harder than ever. It was always her dream, wasn't it?"
Shinichiro nodded. "Yeah... she'd talk about it all the time."
Your mother smiled before continuing. "Takeomi-kun helped her a lot too."
Shinichiro blinked. "...Takeomi?"
"Mm." She nodded. "He dropped her every time after she worked herself to exhaustion. Whenever she felt discouraged, he'd take her out somewhere or encourage her to keep trying."
Shinichiro lowered his gaze. Somehow, hearing Takeomi’s name tied to yours felt unsettling. Why did he have to act like this? He wasn’t like this before.
Your mother noticed his expression and her smile slowly disappeared, lowering her head slightly. "...Shin-kun... before anything else, I want to apologize."
Shinichiro looked startled. "...Apologize?"
"On behalf of my husband." The words came out quietly. " He used y/n vulnerability as an opportunity to separate you two. I try my best to convince him that he is wrong, but he never listens. You were still young; it must be hard for you."
Shinichiro confused. "Umm.. L/n san what do you mean? What happened to y/n "
"After Y/N woke up, the doctors told us she was having trouble remembering some things and that she’d need time to recover." Her voice trembled slightly. "F/N told everyone not to mention your name. Most of the gifts and letters you sent never reached her."
Shinichiro slowly lowered his gaze.
Your mother continued with a guilty smile. "He threw some away... sold others..." She looked embarrassed. "Whenever I could, I'd secretly hide a few before he found them. It's not much... but I still have a small box with some of the things you gave her."
Your mother smiled sadly. "Sometimes I see her crying as she holds that helmet. She doesn’t remember who gave it to her, but she never lets her father or me throw it away."
After a while, she let out another quiet sigh. "...Everything changed after the accident. Even Ayako-chan stopped coming."
Shinichiro looked up. "Wasn't she was y/n's best friend"
Your mother shook her head. "She used to visit Y/N almost every day. The two of them were inseparable....Then one day... she just stopped. I haven't seen that girl in years."
Shinichiro didn't know why, but every answer he got only seemed to create more questions. The more he learned about this timeline, the more it felt like someone had quietly rewritten everyone's lives while he wasn't looking.
The first thing that refused to leave his mind wasn't you.
It was Takeomi.
How the hell had that idiot gone from blowing his pocket money at pachinko parlors to becoming an idol manager?
After leaving the ramen shop, Shinichiro pulled out his phone and dialed Wakasa's number. The call barely rang twice before it connected.
"Oi, Wakasa. You free?" Shinichiro asked.
"That's rare." Wakasa laughed over the phone. "You calling me first? What's up?"
"I wanted to ask you something," Shinichiro said...How's Y/N?"
There was a moment of silence before Wakasa laughed. "Since when do you ask about Y/N?"
"What do you mean?" Shinichiro frowned.
"Exactly what I said. The two of you barely talk anymore. You always brush her off whenever someone brings her up." Wakasa answered.
For a moment, Shinichiro couldn't process what he'd just heard. "...I what?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten already."
Shinichiro stayed quiet for a few seconds before speaking again. "Do you know where I can find her?"
"Ask Takeomi. He's her manager now. He's probably at the agency with her." Wakasa answered.
"...Takeomi again," Shinichiro muttered under his breath.
"What?" Wakasa asked.
"...Nothing. Where's the agency?" Shinichiro said.
Wakasa gave him the address. "Go see for yourself."
"Got it. Thanks." Shinichiro said before ending the call.
A few minutes later, Shinichiro found himself standing across the street from the entertainment agency.
He looked up at the building before letting out a slow breath. If everyone kept pointing him toward Takeomi.....then maybe that was where he needed to start.
Shinichiro hesitated outside the agency.
He had no idea how Takeomi would react... or how you would react if you saw him.
Taking a slow breath, he reached for the glass door.
Before he could push it open, movement inside caught his attention.
You had just walked out of one of the practice rooms with Takeomi beside you.
Exhaustion was written all over your face. Without saying anything, Takeomi grabbed a folded blanket from a nearby chair and casually draped it over your shoulders.
"You'll catch a cold if you walk around like that."
You looked up at him with half-lidded eyes. "Omi..."
Takeomi glanced over. "Hm?"
You stretched your legs dramatically before pouting. "My legs hurt."
Takeomi snorted. "Yeah? That's what happens when you spend four hours dancing."
You frowned. "Can you help me?"
Takeomi rolled his eyes, though the corner of his mouth lifted into a grin.
"Anything for you, princess." He crouched down without another complaint.
You laughed softly before climbing onto his back as naturally as if the two of you had done it a hundred times. "See? I knew you'd say yes."
"You're lucky I get paid to deal with you."
"Liar." You rested your chin on his shoulder. "You would've helped me even if you didn't."
Takeomi clicked his tongue. "Don't get cocky."
"Too late."
The two of you laughed as he carried you down the hallway.
Shinichiro stood frozen as he watched everything from afar. He couldn't hear every word. He only saw you smiling....and Takeomi carrying you with the kind of effortless familiarity that used to belong to him.
For the first time since arriving in this timeline... This is like a worst timeline, almost a nightmare.
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Taglist: @96mcobo, @shinimania
Anyway, Taglist is open if you're interested; DM or comment.
Is it just me or does anyone else get scared while writing xreader fics? Like, what if I'm accidentally making my Y/N a Mary Sue... or one of those stereotypical, lowkey pick-me Y/Ns?(╥﹏╥)
Idk, it's so hard sometimes?? Like, Y/N needs enough backstory and actual personality to carry the whole fic, but I also gotta write it in a way that everyone can still vibe with it
Over the next few months, you gradually became one of Kanto Manji's biggest advantages against White Knight.
You quietly pointed out familiar faces whenever rival members appeared, identified several hideouts you remembered, and occasionally fed White Knight just enough false information to throw their plans into complete chaos.
By the time they realized someone was playing both sides, Kanto Manji had already taken advantage of every mistake.
The meeting finally came to an end after nearly two hours of arguing over remaining businesses. As everyone began leaving the room, you quietly picked up your bag, ready to head straight to work before Sanzu suddenly grabbed the back of your chair.
"Sit."
You groaned dramatically and dropped back into the seat. "My hostess shift already drained my soul. Can I go home before you people find another gang to beat up?"
Sanzu ignored your complaint and sat across from you while Kokonoi casually pulled up the chair beside yours.
Ran and Rindou stayed behind as well, both already knowing exactly where this conversation was heading.
"You still meeting those White Knight bastards?" Sanzu asked bluntly
You shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "Sometimes. I mostly feed them fake information now. Wrong locations, wrong names... whatever wastes their time."
Kokonoi frowned slightly before cutting in. "That's not what we're asking." His voice stayed calm. "Why are you still meeting them at all after everything that's happened?"
You clicked your tongue and leaned back in your chair. "They still think they can threaten me, and I'd rather keep them looking at me than looking at my mother."
Sanzu's expression immediately soured. "That's a stupid way of thinking."
"So is half the shit you do," you shot back without hesitation.
"The difference is I know when to stop."
"You don't."
Kokonoi sighed and gently rested a hand over yours to stop the argument from getting worse.
"Listen," he said quietly, waiting until you finally looked at him. "If you're worried about your mother, stop carrying that burden by yourself. I'll handle the hospital bills, and if anything changes, you come straight to me."
You looked away with an awkward laugh. "You make it sound easy."
"It is."
Before Kokonoi could continue, Sanzu folded his arms and scoffed. "And if White Knight even thinks about touching your mother again, they'll have Kanto Manji to answer to."
You stared at him suspiciously. "Since when did you start caring so much?"
"Don't flatter yourself." Sanzu rolled his eyes. "I'm protecting our gang's reputation. You just happen to be included."
Ran laughed under his breath while Rindou shook his head, already used to Sanzu pretending he wasn't worried.
You stayed quiet for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "...You guys are seriously persistent."
"We've noticed," Kokonoi replied with a faint smile.
You finally looked between Sanzu and Kokonoi before speaking. "...Fine....If you're really that determined...I'll introduce you to my mother."
They simply exchanged a brief glance before Sanzu stood up first. "Good....Let's see her."
The drive to the hospital was unusually quiet. As the five of you made your way through the long white hallways before stopping outside a private room.
Before anyone could reach for the door, Ran turned around and looked directly at Sanzu and Kokonoi.
"One thing," he said seriously. "No smartass comments. Don't joke about her condition, don't ask stupid questions, and don't upset the old lady."
Sanzu frowned. "...Since when do you order me around?"
"I don't." Ran shrugged. "I'm asking because she matters to Y/N."
Sanzu and Kokonoi exchanged a glance before both nodded. "...Fine."
You pushed the door open and immediately hurried inside. "Mama!"
The old woman sitting by the window looked up from the crochet hook resting in her lap. Her tired eyes softened at the sight of you before confusion slowly replaced them.
"...Dear?" She tilted her head. "I'm sorry... who are you?"
Your smile faltered for only a second before returning just as brightly. "I'm Y/N."
You walked over and gently hugged her shoulders. "Remember? I visited last month...We sat together and made all those little crochet toys."
You pointed toward the bedside table where several tiny plush animals and baby clothes were neatly folded.
The old woman looked at them for a long moment before smiling. "Oh...I remember now."
You knew she didn't. Still, you smiled back as if she really had.
"I brought some friends today." You stepped aside, letting the others come into view. "They volunteer with me... We help women who are struggling and try to get them back on their feet."
The old woman's face immediately brightened. "Really? That's wonderful."
She looked at each of them one by one. "What are your names?"
Ran stepped forward first with his usual easy smile. "Good evening.. Ms (M/N) I'm Haitani Ran.... It's nice to finally meet you.. This is my little brother Rindou."
The compliment made the old woman laugh shyly.
Rindou politely introduced himself next, keeping his voice softer than usual, while Kokonoi simply gave a respectful nod. "I'm Hajime Koko. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Sanzu was the last to speak. "..I'm Sanzu....Haruchiyo."
His greeting was short, but surprisingly polite. You almost stared at him.
The nurse suddenly entered carrying a clipboard. "Visiting time is almost over... I just need to check on her for a few minutes."
You nodded before helping your mother sit comfortably.
As everyone prepared to leave, the old woman reached toward the bedside table and picked up a small crocheted rabbit.
"Oh..."
"I don't have anything expensive to give you, dear," she said with a warm smile. "But you've always been so kind to this old woman. Please take it."
Your fingers tightened around the little rabbit as your smile slowly trembled. "Thank you... I'll treasure it."
Without waiting another second, you bowed politely to the nurse and hurried out of the room with your head lowered.
Sanzu frowned the moment the door closed behind you. "Oi... where's she going?" He took a step forward, clearly intending to follow.
Ran caught him by the shoulder before he could move any further. "Oi.. Leave her alone."
"The hell do you mean leave her alone?" Sanzu frowned at him. "Didn't you see her face?"
"I did," Ran answered quietly. "That's exactly why I'm telling you not to follow her."
Kokonoi looked unusually confused, still trying to understand what had just happened inside the room. "She didn't recognize Y/N...Not once."
Ran let out a slow sigh. "She used to. Before everything happened, she loved Y/N more than anything."
Rindou folded his arms and continued where his brother stopped. "Y/N's father was a drunk, a gambler, and a junkie. He spent years beating both his wife and daughter whenever he lost money or couldn't get his hands on drugs."
"One night," Ran continued, "her mother finally snapped. She killed him trying to protect herself and Y/N."
"The court called it self-defense," Rindou added, "but it didn't save her. She completely lost her mind after the trial."
Ran looked toward the hospital room before speaking again. "Y/N was sent to the same orphanage where Izana and Kakucho grew up, while her mother was admitted here for long-term treatment."
Nobody spoke after that.
Sanzu slowly looked down the hallway where you had run off, while Kokonoi quietly glanced at hospital room. Neither of them saw you as the manipulative hostess or the troublesome informant.
They only saw a daughter who had spent years desperately trying to hold on to the last piece of her family.
Kokonoi glanced toward Ran and spoke in his usual calm tone. "Alright. Tell me where I pay her hospital bills."
Before Ran could answer, Sanzu suddenly cut in. "Later..... First I want to talk to her doctor first."
Ran and Rindou exchanged a glance before leading them down the hallway.
A few minutes later, they stepped inside a small office where a middle-aged doctor was sorting through several patient files.
The doctor looked up and immediately stiffened the moment he recognized the Haitani brothers. "...Haitani Kyodai."
Ran's smile widened. "Relax, Doc. Nobody's here to break your furniture today."
The doctor forced an awkward smile before his eyes shifted toward Sanzu and Kokonoi. Unlike the Haitani brothers, the two men looked far calmer, making him instinctively direct the conversation toward them instead.
"I assume you're here regarding Ms. L/N's mother?"
Kokonoi gave a small nod. "We'd like to know her condition and whether there's anything we can do."
The doctor adjusted his glasses before opening the medical file. "Physically, she's stable. Unfortunately, her psychological condition is far more complicated."
He paused for a moment."Your friend has been bringing money here for years. Sometimes too much money."
Sanzu narrowed his eyes. "...What's that supposed to mean?"
The doctor hesitated before answering carefully. "I know how she earns it...My staff and I have seen the men she arrives with, the bruises she occasionally tries to hide, and the circles she associates with."
His eyes briefly flickered toward the Haitani brothers before quickly returning to Kokonoi. "I've told her more than once that destroying her own life won't save her mother's."
"Her mother has lived with severe trauma for years," the doctor continued. "She rarely remembers people consistently, and forcing old memories only causes confusion and emotional distress."
He closed the file with a tired sigh. "I've advised Ms. L/N several times to stop visiting every month. She refuses to listen. Every visit ends the same way. Her mother forgets her, and your friend leaves in tears."
Ran speaking quietly. "She never lets anyone see that part."
"No," the doctor replied. "She smiles every single time before walking into that room. Then she smiles again before leaving. I simply happen to notice the difference."
Kokonoi rested both hands in his pockets. "So your advice is to tell a daughter to stop seeing her own mother?"
"My advice," the doctor answered, "is to stop forcing memories that no longer exist. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for a patient is let them live peacefully instead of reminding them of a tragedy they cannot understand anymore."
Sanzu scoffed. "Sounds like you've already given up on them."
The doctor met his gaze. "I'm a doctor. I deal in medicine, not miracles."
Finally, Kokonoi spoke again"...Keep treating her. If she needs better medication, a different room, or anything money can solve, send the bill to me."
The doctor looked genuinely surprised. "...Very well."
As they stepped back into the hallway, Sanzu clicking his tongue. "Come on. We've got an idiot to find."
They all split up to look for you. After wandering around the hospital grounds for several minutes, Sanzu eventually found you sitting behind the building, quietly clutching the small crocheted rabbit against your chest while trying your hardest to hold back your tears.
He stopped a few steps away and simply watched. Out of everyone in Kanto Manji, he was probably the worst person to comfort someone. Fighting, threatening people, even killing... those things came naturally to him. This didn't.
"...Found you."
You quickly wiped your eyes before forcing your usual smile. "Don't just stand there like a creep." You sniffled softly and looked away. "I'm fine now... let's just go back before everyone starts worrying."
Sanzu didn't move. He quietly sat beside you instead, resting his elbows on his knees before clicking his tongue. "You look like shit."
"...Thanks."
"I'm serious."
You let out a weak laugh despite yourself before hugging the little rabbit tighter. "I hate crying in front of people." Your voice trembled as you looked down at the toy. "She couldn't even remember my name..."
For a few seconds, neither of you spoke. Sanzu watched your shoulders shake before quietly reaching over and pulling you against him.
You froze in surprise. "...Haruchiyo?"
"Shut up."
His voice sounded unusually quiet as he awkwardly rested one hand on your back. "Just... stay still for a minute."
You couldn't stop yourself anymore. The moment your forehead rested against his shoulder, every emotion you had been holding back finally spilled over, and you clutched the front of his coat while sobbing quietly.
Sanzu stiffened.
If it had been anyone else, he would've pushed them away without thinking twice. Instead, he let out a tired sigh and awkwardly rubbed your back, silently cursing himself for not knowing what the hell he was supposed to do.
"...You're an idiot."
You laughed through your tears.
"I know..."
"No." He shook his head before looking away. "You're an idiot because you keep trying to carry everything alone."
His fingers tightened ever so slightly around your shoulder. "You don't have to do that anymore... not while we're here."
You looked up at him with watery eyes before hiding your face against his shoulder again. For once, Sanzu didn't complain, didn't insult you, and didn't push you away. He simply stayed there, letting you cry until there were no tears left.
♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡
To be continued..
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