‘✉’ for an unsent letter from my character to yours.
He breathes heavily as he stares down at his phone. His fingers tremble when he touches a particular name that comes up on his screen. They hover over the keyboard, ghosting over letters that he can’t bring together. He’s scared; terrified of what’s to come, but he has to do this. He knows he has to. So all the words he wants to say pour out into one long text message.
Jimin,
Hey, man. We’ve been friends for a while. We’ve come this far and we both know that we’re drifters in our own right. Go with the flow kind of guys, but I think that’s what makes us work. We don’t need to constantly talk to know that we’re friends and will always be there for one another. You know, there will come a day that you might not see or hear from me again. I don’t think who it’ll hurt more: you or me? It’s not like me to make friends with people and not care for them, but whenever I do, it seems it gets harder and harder for me to let them go. You fit in that exact category. I’ve had to let a lot of people go since ten years ago. Though I don’t regret what I’m doing right now, I do regret the people I leave behind. You know why though. It’s for your own safety. To stay away from people like me, but despite that, you still became my friend. You still cared when I lied that I didn’t. It makes sense that you’re one of my closer friends, doesn’t it? It has to. Fate brings us back together from time to time, but fate will be cruel one day. it will tell me that I’m undeserving. I don’t deserve a friend like you. And sometimes I think it’s right. I don’t deserve friends like you. You’re all too good for me, but when I’m with you guys, I can’t help but think maybe I do deserve everyone in my life. because they make me stronger when my bones feel like they’re about to break. They make me believe in myself when I don’t. That’s what friends are for, right? Remind you just how important you are and push you past your limits. Thanks for doing that for me. I’m sorry for what happened with that man. I never meant for you to get hurt like that. Maybe that’s why I’m leaving now. After I’ve finished my mission, I won’t come back. I don’t think I can. It hurts to think I’m the reason for your pain. But there’s someone out there that erases that pain for you, isn’t there? Keep them close, Jimin. You won’t know what will happen if you let them go.
Best regards,
Takeshi.
He sighs when he finishes the text. He reads it over and over again, the brightness of the screen hurting his eyes before he clenches his teeth. He double clicks on his home button and slides his messages upward, erasing the long message that had taken him two hours to write. He couldn’t do it. Not yet at least.
They say those who die are forgotten. No matter how many times you try to remember them, they’re never exactly like who they really were. In a way, that means the person never really lives on. Not in memory at least. The mind is a tricky thing to handle, and when you’re sad, you remember things better than they really were. But what underlies that, what truly continues to live on is the ache inside your heart that once ached for the person who’s left. The memories don’t matter as much as the emotions that are associated with them. At least, that’s how Takeshi thinks it is.
He remembers the glorious mirth that coursed through his body like blood in his veins when he spent a day with them. He remembers the bonfire by the sea with those people whom he shared short but fond feelings of connection and unity. He remembers it all so well that the memories themselves don’t matter as much as the how he felt during those times. How free and relaxed he felt, how utterly exposed he was to these people yet he couldn’t save them from their untimely deaths.
He couldn’t do a single thing to save their souls from being taken away by the grim reaper, when he saw photos of the mutilations sprawled across the walls of his room, or when he saw the mutilated body stringed up to the ceiling with her arms up in the air as if she were asking for redemption. He could do nothing but tremble at the sight, walking backwards until he hit the wall behind him before he finally saw letters on each photos that spelled out a message that could only be directed to him: LET’S PLAY. He couldn’t even scream, too shocked by what he’s seen and too absorbed in his thoughts until his thoughts disappeared by the sound of a screech echoed through the hallway.
He peered toward the end of the hallway, watched as Kyoko slowly exited her room, pure terror in her eyes before Tsuna swept in and covered her eyes from the scene. Takeshi gulped, gritting his teeth as he opened the door to the room beside him only to find the same scene here as well but with another body. Again and again he opened the other four doors that lined up in this hallway to find out that each room was occupied by a person who “sought” redemption. He didn’t know what was going on, or how the killer managed to do all of this without a single one of them finding out that they had been infiltrated by an enemy.
Takeshi gazed over at Tsuna to see his eyes, which were usually so bright and welcoming, dark and foreboding. He didn’t know what to think. He couldn’t think properly. Everything seemed to go on and on like an endless horror film that not only terrorized his eyes and ears but his heart and mind as well. He couldn’t grasp the situation all too well, but he knew he had to do something about this. He knew that if they didn’t stop whoever did this to their family then no one will. With a nod of his head, he took Tsuna’s silent orders to bring everyone together; to find out who the hell was right in their mind to even dare attack their precious family. At that moment, there only seemed to be one acceptable thought that wandered through his mind: whoever they were, they would pay.
「 APRIL 27, 2015 — 8:15PM — ITALY」
“How the hell did this happen?” Those were the first words to break the silence in the room. Hayato’s angry words sliced through the air as if it were nothing. It brought forth emotions the other guardians tried to shove down their throats, but with those words came the onslaught of fists slamming against walls and tables. Takeshi tried his best to keep his emotions in check, but it was only when I-pin clung onto his arm that he realized that his nails had broke skin. It was only when he looked down at the female with damp cheeks that he had allowed himself to relax. The pain in his palm was nothing but a dull cry for attention, but she had reached into her pocket and covered his wound with a bandaid anyway.
“I keep these with me since Lambo gets hurt a lot.” She smiled, but it did nothing to mask the pain etched on her face. His heart nearly dropped when he saw it, but he smiled anyway to reassure her that he too felt the same. Takeshi knew that each person in this room was impacted by the events that took place in one way or another (he assumed Mukuro and Hibari at least felt pity for those who had died).
However, whatever hell each person was going through ended when Tsuna walked into the room. Takeshi nearly winced to see his friend’s eyes so dark and morose. They were all on their toes, waiting for whatever their friend and boss had to say to them and what he wanted to do. Takeshi looked down at the floor, staring at the patterns in the wood but also listening to Tsuna’s footsteps as they echoed through the room until finally he sat down at his seat. When he looked up, he no longer saw the sweet and peace-loving man he spent his adolescent years growing up with. No, he saw a much scarier man in front of him, one who demanded those around him to kneel before him and give back what has been taken for him.
“What we have to do is clear. People are neglecting the truth that we, the Vongola, are the most powerful mafia famiglia. We have to remind those who have forgotten what we can truly do if cornered or harmed.” He glanced around the room, making eye contact with each one of them before Tsuna’s clouded, sepia eyes landed on him. “There is no room for errors.” Takeshi clenched his jaw but gave a firm nod at the man. Without him even having to say the next words, each person in that room knew that Tsuna did not seek an explanation but rather revenge for the harm done to his family. “Find and kill whoever did this.”
「JUNE 18, 2015 — 5:57AM — SOUTH KOREA」
The car ride was unusually quiet. The three men in the car did little to fill the air with needless talk. Each man had two reasons to remain quiet. They each shared one while the other was unknown to the other men in the car. For Takeshi, he couldn’t quite grasp the idea that he had thrown away the friendships he’s built away. He knew it was for the good of each individual, but some were harder than others. Of all the people he’s met in Korea, there were a handful of people he didn’t want to let go of. Many of them had left messages on his phone, but after a month or so of no returned messages or calls, nearly all of them had given up their fight for him. He couldn’t blame them for giving up. He had hardened his shell around them so quickly, and he couldn’t even imagine the emotional damage he’s done to them. However, he knew that he had done the right thing by keeping them away from him. He had to protect them from getting themselves killed just because they were associated with him. He couldn’t handle having another life end because of him, his hands stained with their blood.
So he left. As quietly as he could. But with the mission he was given to him by Reborn earlier on that year, he couldn’t leave Korea for too long. His trip to Italy to visit his family had turned out to be disastrous, ending with another mission that meant he had to get his hands dirty and stained even more than he already had to deal with. When he returned, it wasn’t a surprise to find a particular friend in his home after he returned, but even then, he shoved him out and moved to another apartment to escape from the people he grew to cherish no matter how much it hurt him and the people he left. It was something he just had to do.
Hey, it’s me again. I was just wondering where you were. That movie we wanted to watch came out on dvd, but when I went to your apartment, your landlord said you moved out. Why didn’t you tell me? Where the hell are you man?
Takeshi clicked the button on the side of his phone, causing the screen to turn black before putting his hand back on the steering wheel. The man sitting in the passenger seat looked at him and then to the phone. There were several questions flying around his head, but he knew that the swordsman had a lot to worry about already. However, it continued to perplex him that even after locking his phone, Takeshi would grit his teeth before unlocking his phone to listen to another voicemail.
I saw that girl you said you were interested in. Turned out she has a boyfriend like you said. Don’t worry about it, man. With your dashing good looks, you’ll find another one. But maybe try not to disappear so much. You know, don’t be so mysterious or leave people hanging. Anyway, if you want to talk, my phone’s always on.
Hey, uh, how’s it going? It’s Jimin again. Call me back when you can.
...fuck. I can’t do this. I’m not going to call you anymore. What the hell is your problem? I thought we were friends. You aren’t the type of guy to just throw away friends for no reason, so why did you? Is it because of your job? I don’t care what you do, man. We’re supposed to be friends! Best friends even! At least call me back!
Sorry for that angry voicemail. I was... angry. Look, just at least call me and tell me you don’t want to be friends anymore. Then I’ll stop. Forever. You know where to find me.
Hey! I just remembered. You still have my pokemon game. Can I have it back? I want to play it again. Let’s meet up.
There’s a new sushi place that opened up downtown. I heard it’s really good, but probably not as good as your dad’s. Still, we should try it out! Can we?
“You’re not going to pick up?” Dino finally broke the silence, aware of the annoyance stirring inside the male sitting in the back but even more aware of the guilt lingering in the swordsman’s heart. Takeshi knew that Dino had no idea what the voicemails were about, but the blonde knew him very well. He knew that he wanted to answer the voicemails and tell the other person and to everyone he’s left that he’s sorry, but he just couldn’t. He was just a coward who couldn’t face the people he’s hurt.
“He’ll stop eventually.”
“Or you can stop listening to them.” Takeshi thought about doing that a long time ago, but each time he turned off his phone despite knowing the messages that he knew the younger male left him made him quiver in anger and self-hate. “Or maybe... you can’t do that?”
“He’s my friend. I don’t want to hurt him.” Dino scowled at the male, staring at how despite the years of maturity, that Takeshi still had glimpses of naivety in him. They had all gone through it. They had made friends with people outside their world and to try to protect them, they would distance themselves from them. It worked countless of times, but Dino knew that Takeshi couldn’t leave a friend behind. Not ever.
“You’re already hurting him.” Takeshi sat in silence, letting the next ring echo in the air as his friend’s voice filled the tense air once more.
Hey, so I got in a fight. I’m okay though. Your self defense classes really helped, so thanks for that. I’ve been watching the new lately about some bodies strung up in museums. I feel so bad for those people... and their families. I wonder what heartless soul did that. Anyway, I’ve got practice. I’ll call back later.
“It’s on the fucking news.” Hayato hissed in the back seat. They all knew whose bodies those were. It seemed that whoever the mastermind behind this (he called himself Takumi) thought the bodies in their home wasn’t enough. To anger them even more, he had strung their bodies up in public museums across the world, specifically in Italy, Japan, and South Korea, which brought on teams of three or four to go to each location to find out what really was going on. “They’re messing with the wrong fucking guys. I’ll kill them.”
Takeshi! I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m getting real fucking scared right now. I was watching the news and all of a sudden I see myself on the television and shit, I think someone’s in the house —
It seemed as if in unison each individual in the car stopped breathing. Taksehi trembled in his seat, picking up his phone and increasing the volume of the voicemail before he heard a deafening scream. His head was spinning and all he could do was shout out his friend’s name over and over again despite knowing that Jimin would never hear them. Dino grasped his shoulder, trying to calm him down until they hear a chuckle on the other line, one that didn’t match the voice of the swordsman’s friend.
The words they heard next made their hearts pound against their chest. Takeshi felt rage surge through him before throwing the phone toward the dashboard of the car. He didn’t know how old that message was, but the anger and guilt was building up inside of him because the enemy wasn’t just threatening them. They were inviting them to find them. Despite all the efforts he made to keep his friends safe, the enemy had found one of them and Takeshi didn’t know whether or not he was already dead. he could only hope that he was still breathing. Takeshi knew what he had to do. He had to save his friend before another life gets taken because of him.
Come out and play, Vongola. We’re waiting for you.
Tiny pieces of gravel had almost penetrated her palms after she had taken a good, hard fall out and about before entering the park. She was filthy; her tights were tattered and her knees were scraped after she had daydreamed while taking what she thought was going to be a refreshing walk. Her reveries had gotten the best of her that time and ended up in her taking quite the fall which earned her plenty of stares from those passing by. Brushing off the rest of the debris as she sat on a nearby bench, her attention was soon diverted to a very familiar voice that came literally out of nowhere. Looking up, she finally noticed Jimin, a very good friend of hers, standing over her with a concerned expression etched on his face. “I–,” she started off, words failing for a few seconds before she finally managed to speak. “I fell” was all she was able to mumble to him while her eyes fell back to her palms that had small specks of blood scattered all about. She hadn’t noticed them until then and she suppressed a sigh, annoyed with herself in that very moment.
Alright, alright. [ `he takes a few steps back before running towards you, his arms wide open. ] Tiiiiiiiiink.
Peteeeeeeer! {`she stretches out her arms, running towards him in slow motion with exaggerated actions, before finally colliding, hugging him tight} How are you? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you here.
send a ♞ to my inbox and i’ll generate a random sentence
He knew it. He just knew it. Glancing around their shared bedroom, Hoseok quickly pulled a finger to his lips, locking eyes with the other. He had to make sure Jimin understood him, because he couldn’t speak. No, not in this room. Slowly, he pressed himself up against the wall and crept along it toward the door, snapping his head back to lock eyes with Jimin once more. He cocked his head toward the doorway before making his escape, rushing past the threshold. As soon as he was out of the room he let out a heavy sigh, an obvious look of relief on his face.
Once more he turned to Jimin, glancing down the hallway before mouthing to him, “I think the room is bugged.”
