Once a protection
Part 1
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(POV) Katzutora
How much Katzutora cursed this name. This name.
This family.
He hated it.
Forced into a life he wasn't made for. Not prepared. He knew that if he deviated again from the system of his father's intended plan, he would show him once more how much he despised this behavior. Not prepared but he had learned. Learned how to act.
But his one-year-younger sister didn't understand it. She was not like him. She was innocent. She was pure. She didn't understand why our father hit us for small mistakes or why our mother did nothing and just cried. I didn't understand it either, but I learned to accept it.
She couldn't handle it.
She kept asking me again and again when she slept in my bed again because she was afraid that Father would hit our mother again, why Mother didn't leave; why she didn't protect us; why Father was so angry. I had no answer to her questions.
It was as if we were trapped here, in this house, in this life, in this family. Without any possible way out.
But one day, I met a boy. He was the same age as I was. Black hair and a constant grin on his lips that never left his face.
He gave me hope.
It was as if just the moment he extended his hand encouraged me to find a new path.
Since the day I met this boy, my life changed. It made me happy again. I was often outside playing. This boy quickly became my best friend, and when I introduced him to my younger sister, he grinned at her, extended his hand, and declared that from now on, he would also be her brother and always protect her.
This boy was named Baji Kaisuke.
After a short time, he introduced me to his other friends.
Mikey; Draken; Mitsuya and Pah. We did a lot together. We often just wandered thru the streets and caused mischief. It felt so good, and I realized that I had never had so much fun. But every time I was outside with my new friends and having fun, I had to think of Kaname. My sister who sat at home in her room and waited. Waiting for me. So that I would come home. I often feared that my father might hurt her while I was there. I was there. I could never stand it when our father raised his hand against her. She was far too young. I was still young too, but I had gotten used to the beatings. She couldn't handle it. She would then always cry so bitterly that our father became even angrier and continued to hit her.
I felt guilty. The feeling of guilt almost consumed me.
However, no matter how Baji saw thru my thoughts, he once brought it up when we were sitting together as a group of friends, that Mikey and I both had a sister of the same age. Mikey looked astonished, but not with suspicion, rather with interest. And as if Baji could foresee it, Mikey suggested that the two of them would definitely get along well. I quietly thanked my best friend Baji.
He grinned at me and later whispered,
"No problem, I like doing it."
And now I took Kaname with me to every meeting. At first, she was very shy. She only knew Baji and me, and now she was supposed to play with a strange girl and make friends with the rest of the unknown boys. But she quickly felt comfortable. Just like I did. Kaname got along very well with Emma, which led to both of them meeting up when we boys didn't make plans. If I didn't know the two girls, I would have suspected they were sisters, given how they could read each other's thoughts. I was happy for my sister. I was so glad she was out of our house, away from the violence. At least for a limited time.
(POV): Emma
There was this girl that Mikey wanted to introduce me to. Since my brother, being the idiot he was, forgot to give me the missing information, I didn't know what to make of it. My older brother Shinichiro, who overheard the conversation, encouraged me to meet this girl. So I agreed.
I went with my brother Mikey and met this girl who was hiding behind Katzutora. Holding onto his sweater while he looked a bit annoyed and tried to push her aside. Baji, who was standing next to him, just laughed at Katzutora's failed attempts to push the girl behind him. I still didn't know who this girl was. I only knew that she was my age. I stood next to Mikey, who happily ran over to Katzutora and the girl, while I just stood there and stared at them, from the little I could see behind Katzutora.
But when we were alone later, as my brother and his friends were playing soccer, I started talking to her. We both sat on the bench and watched the boys play football. And suddenly, in the conversation with her, I realized that she wasn't actually that shy, but just needed time to get used to people. When we really started talking, it almost felt like I had known her for half my life.
We met more and more often and I wished that in the next life we would be born as sisters. So that we could have spent all our time together. It felt so fascinating. We could practically read each other's thoughts. We often made a game out of annoying Mikey or the others by talking to them and suddenly one of us would always stop talking, only for the other to know exactly what the other was thinking and to comment on it, while the boy we were with always looked completely confused because he didn't understand how Kaname and I could communicate without saying a word. We liked to do this with Baji the most, as he would get softly frustrated and angry, and the other person would immediately ask for the translation. He also once tried to read minds himself, but he failed miserably.
Of course, my new friend quickly figured out that I thot Draken was quite cute. What am I saying! I really, really, really liked Draken. For Kaname, just the way I looked at Draken was enough to understand that I had feelings for him.
She promised to help me get together with him. But as we both had to pretend back then, Draken was just as clueless about love as all the other boys his age. But that didn't stop us, and I even got the idea that if Kaname and my brother Mikey were to marry in the future, then theoretically, she would also be related to me, or at least we would be in the same family, and we could spend even more time together.
Kaname, unlike me, didn't have a crush on any of her brother's friends. She still thot the idea was good just because it would mean we would be in the same family. And since she wanted to show me how easy it was to ask a boy if he wanted to be your boyfriend, she asked Mikey. Just to show me how easy it would be, so that I would dare to ask Draken.
She gave me a lecture in my room back then, telling me that I should just approach Draken and ask if we wanted to be together. But I didn't dare. Kaname shook her head and explained to me that I would eventually have to ask him if he would want to be with me. But just the idea of it already scared me. And then she stood up confidently, grinned at me, and declared that she would now show me how easy it would be. She left my room and I followed her. She stopped in the living room, where my brother Mikey was playing with Baji and his toy airplane. I stood next to her. Mikey and Baji stopped and looked at us confused. Kaname smiled and casually asked Mikey if he wanted to be with her.
My jaw dropped. But not just me, also Baji who was standing next to Mikey. Only Mikey and Kaname stood there completely relaxed, as if they had just asked him what the weather was like today. And Mikey started grinning and nodded. Following that, he announced, pointing his finger at Kaname, that she was now his girlfriend. Kaname smiled, thanked me politely, took my hand, and led my shocked self back to my room.
My mouth was still wide open. I couldn't believe it. Was it really that easy? How did she manage to ask it so coolly? And so she tried to encourage me to take the plunge as well. But she wasn't in love with Mikey. I was in love with Draken, and every time I stood next to him, I always got so nervous that it was hard for me to even form proper sentences. But she encouraged me that I would eventually manage it.
Later, when Mikey proudly announced to his other friends, including Kaname's brother, Katzutora, that Kaname was now his girlfriend, Katzutora was visibly surprised. However, I had expected him to be angry with my brother, but he took it quite calmly and just told us that he thot Kaname and Baji would end up together someday. In response, Baji turned red and looked away. Mikey just grinned and laughed at the fact that Kaname had chosen him after all. As if it were some kind of prize.
The person who was the most shocked about it was our big brother Shinichiro. He was so shocked and asked how his little brother had done it, and he simply explained that Kaname came to him and he just said yes. Then our older brother started whining about why something like that never happened to him. Back then, I just laughed and remembered all the rejections my brother had faced.
If I had to describe life back then, "perfect" would be the best expression. Everyone was happy. Most of the time, we played without really thinking about the future or anything like that. We were all convinced that if life was already so cool together, then the future would only be even better.
But this dream soon shattered. But not at just any time, but exactly on the nite before my brother Mikey's birthday.
That nite, Katzutora and Baji broke into Shinichiro's workshop, and Katzutora killed our big brother Shinichiro.
After that day, many things changed.
Shinichiro died that nite, leaving our grandfather, Mikey, and me alone.
Katzutora was found guilty and went to juvenile detention.
Katzutora also left his sister, Kaname, alone with their parents.
Baji received a punishment, but a milder one than Katzutora's, and was allowed to go home.
Mikey forgave Baji, but not Katzutora. Katzutora blamed Mikey for our brother's death. Instead of Katzutora feeling guilty, it was Kaname who did.
I still remember that Kaname apologized to Mikey so often that he eventually shut her up.
He didn't see why SHE was apologizing and not Katzutora. Mikey saw no fault in Kaname and merely told her that she shouldn't apologize for something she couldn't help.
He further said that she shouldn't be so submissive in apologizing to him, as she was his steady girlfriend.
"The steady girlfriend of the invincible Mikey is invincible herself because she was with him."
"She should never apologize for something she didn't do."
These words stayed in my memory, even tho they weren't directed at me. I was just standing in the doorway, listening to both of them.
Later, only when Mikey and I were alone did he become serious.
I had never seen him so bitter before. He talked about how Katzutora could only deserve a sister like Kaname.
He didn't understand why such a pure soul like Kaname could be related to such a "monster."
On that day, I had no idea of the plan my brother decided to implement from then on. And knew nothing of the resulting consequences for everyone.
(POV)Mikey
All the hope I had for the future back then shattered in one nite.
I lost another important person again. It hurt so much. Just like the first time. It tore me apart to this day, but I decided to hide it. All the frustration and sadness deep inside me.
All the anger I buried deep inside me in the hope that it would leave me on its own.
From now on, I wanted to do everything to protect all the people important to me. And that included keeping Kaname away from her brother.
No one understood it. He wasn't good for her. He would only hurt her.
I saw how sad she was when she talked about her brother. I didn't want to see her sad, and that was the only way.
But she didn't understand that. But she will understand someday that I only want the best for her.
Baji had a different opinion.
We often argued about it every time the topic came up, so we eventually agreed not to talk about it anymore until the time came when Katzutora was released from prison.
I didn't tell Kaname about it.
I didn't like the thot that Baji might tell her about my plans. And so I tried to leave them alone as rarely as possible.
I knew that Baji saw her as a kind of sister and had known her longer than I had.
I suspected that Baji must have promised Katzutora at some point that he would always protect Kaname. But now she had me.
I was her steady boyfriend, so she didn't need Baji anymore. At the same time, I was also fine with him wanting to protect her.
So she would be twice as safe in my opinion.
I was now 14 years old. But I didn't feel that way. Life has already taught me so much about the seriousness of life that I didn't even feel like I was 14.
At the same time, I wanted to remain a child forever. Carefree. Without problems and without acknowledging the seriousness of life.
I still had my gang that I founded back then with my friends, and it grew and grew.
And by my side, my sister who was my safe haven; Draken who always stood by me, and Kaname who held me together.
(POV)Baji
It had already been two years since Shinichiro was killed and Katzutora went to prison. Back then, I promised Katzutora to look after Kaname as if I were her own brother as long as he was in prison. To leave her at home as little as possible. But my mission to protect her and take care of her was not made easy for me. Mikey and I often argued about Mikey wanting to keep her away from Katzutora. A conflict that I absolutely wanted to keep Kaname out of. I liked her, but it was hard for me to get really close to her. Also because Mikey thot I wanted to tell Kaname about his plan and therefore distanced himself from me partially.
Despite that, we met often because she tried to help me at school. About which my mother was very grateful to her. My mother knew what was happening at Kaname's home and she felt sorry for the girl, whose brother was now even in jail. It even went so far that she even offered her to live with us, which she of course politely declined. Kaname later explained to me that she couldn't leave her mother alone with her father. She was really different from her brother, I thot back then. I remember Katzutora telling me about it when we were young, that he didn't understand why his mother did nothing. Did not go. Not protecting her children, but just crying. He told me back then that he despised her for having let her children down like that. And Kaname loved her mother. I myself didn't understand how, but I respected it.
I got expelled from school again and ended up in one of the schools that had reluctantly accepted me. I promised my mother that I wouldn't get into fights there and that I would get good grades.
There, no one recognized who I was or that I was part of the Tokyo Manji Gang, which was rising to become one of the strongest gangs in Shibuya. I was just Baji. The nerdy-looking boy with a tight ponytail and thick glasses.
But there, at some point, I met a boy. We got along and became friends. He quickly found out that I was in a gang, and after a while, he joined it himself and later became my Vise Captain of the first division I led.
Of course, it didn't take long for him to meet Kaname since we regularly met to study.
(POV) Chifuyu
School was out, and I actually wanted to ask my new friend Baji if we wanted to do something after school.
But when I went to his classroom right after school, he was no longer there, just a few of his classmates. I asked them if Baji had already left, and they confirmed it. But they didn't know where he was headed. So I set off toward his home.
But just as I turned onto the street leading to the block of apartments where he and his mother lived together, I saw Baji. But he wasn't alone; a girl was walking next to him.
That she wasn't from our school was evident from her uniform. She was from one of the neighboring schools.
In my head, it was racing wildly. Was she his girlfriend? Who was she? What were they doing? Why did he only find out about it now?
With quick steps, I tried to catch up with both of them, which I succeeded in doing. I was firmly convinced that she had to be his girlfriend.
I mean, I knew that Baji didn't have a sister, so it could only be his girlfriend.
When I managed to catch up with both of them, I grabbed Baji by the shoulder to stop him. Which he did. Baji looked at me confused and asked what I wanted.
Now I looked at the girl next to Baji, who also stopped and turned to us, looking just as confused as Baji.
I hesitated. It was as if my eyes were glued to her. Without realizing it, I blushed a little.
Baji then slapped the back of my head with his flat hand and gave me a warning look.
Had I just stared at Baji's girlfriend? It ran nervously thru my mind. A second later, I bowed deeply before the girl, apologized, and introduced myself.
When I straightened up again, she smiled at me. Wait.
She smiled at ME? ME.
Baji groaned in annoyance and asked again what I wanted, to which I replied that I actually wanted to meet him, but since he was no longer in his classroom, I wanted to go to his house.
Baji just replied annoyed that he didn't have time because he and Kaname already had plans.
So her name was Kaname.
Kaname laughed a little at my and Baji's conversation.
Then I looked at Baji seriously and bowed as an apology. I apologized and said I didn't want to disturb him and his girlfriend.
To my confusion, Baji burst into loud laughter, patted me on the shoulder, and wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.
Baji: She's not my girlfriend!
Said Baji, laughing. While Kaname now tried to hide her laughter with a hand in front of her mouth.
I looked back and forth between the two of them, even more confused.
Me: What?
Baji grinned at me, still with his hand on my shoulder.
Baji: She is the younger sister of a very good friend of mine. She is like a sister to me.
Chifuyu: Like a sister?
I repeated, still shocked by the new information. At that moment, I didn't even really perceive the first part of the sentence.
That was probably my mistake at that moment, which would change everything in a year.
Time passed, and I realized what Baji meant by the statement that she was like a sister to him. He told me at some point that he had promised a friend that he would always protect her.
I didn't question it and declared that from that moment on, I would always protect her too.
Back then, Baji just laughed and wished me good luck.
Baji didn't tell me at the time that Kaname was with the leader of the Tokyo Manji Gang, of which I was a member. However, he told me his observation.
His observation of me. How I looked at Kaname. It understood that I found her attractive. When he told me that he had noticed it, I couldn't deny it.
I thot out loud that maybe I should ask her out on a date. But as soon as I voiced that idea, he hit me on the back of my head and said I wouldn't do it.
I was confused and asked why. In that moment, it crossed my mind that maybe Baji secretly liked her after all.
But he looked at me seriously and told me that she already had a boyfriend and that I would be beaten up on the ground faster than I could blink if I asked Kaname out on a date and her boyfriend found out.
I took this advice to heart and tried to suppress my feelings, which is easy to say but incredibly difficult to do.
Actually impossible. Feelings that are not as easily controlled as words. They are simply there and don't leave you so quickly or at all.
However, every time I looked at Kaname for too long, Baji would always jab me in the ribs with his elbow or hit me on the back of the head.
Who Kaname's friend was, I didn't know at that moment either.
I didn't ask at all. When I think about it now, that should have probably been one of my first questions.
I only found out when I showed up at one of the Tokyo Manji Gang's meetings one day and stood next to our leader, Kaname.
His arm around her while he talked to the gang's vise president, Draken. Next to her stood a girl who resembled Mikey.
In that moment, I realized who Baji had been talking about all along.
Kaname was with Mikey. The Mikey. The invincible Mikey who led one of the strongest gangs in Shibuya.
I had gotten myself into one of the worst situations ever with my little crush. I had a crush on the girlfriend of the leader of the Tokyo Manji Gang.
(POV) Kaname
I had the feeling that time was passing by much too quickly. Maybe it was a good thing.
It would only be a couple of months until I would see my brother again. I was a little nervous about it when I thot about it. I knew that Mikey hated Katzutora and Katzutora hated Mikey.
But Baji made me a promise at the very first mention of my concerns. He would bring Katzutora back.
I was not aware of the consequences of his promise. If I had known back then what would happen, I would have stopped Baji.
But in that moment, I was just happy to have Baji by my side. I couldn't really ask Mikey for that.
My brother was still the murderer of his older brother, who even blamed Mikey for it on top of that.
But I had hope. Such a damn hope that everything would be resolved and that I could live with both.
Mikey and Katzutora.
Without any hatred.
But those were problems for tomorrow in my thoughts. Right now, everything was still good.
Emma and I were still inseparable, so much so that even her and Mikey's grandpa always joked that we were practically sisters since we were together so often.
Emma and I could still communicate without saying anything at all. What we both still enjoyed very much. It was as if she were a part of me and I a part of her.
And as for Mikey, it was a bit more complicated.
The initially emphasized relationship, which was formed to show Emma that she should also approach Draken (which she still hasn't done to this day) and was first just a close friendship, developed into a real romantic relationship.
You understood that Mikey wasn't easy, especially when you spent so much time with him as you did, especially when it came to your brother.
But at the same time, I enjoyed every moment with him and still enjoy every moment with him to this day.
You went to the same school as Draken, Emma, and Mikey, but you were only in the same class as Emma.
But you were surprised that Mikey was still at school considering how often he skipped.
Often, Emma, Draken, and you literally had to drag him to school.
But despite that, you had to admit that you always had a lot of fun.
Time flew by quickly. Winter came, and then New Year's Eve followed.
You spent everything with the three of them. I still remember well how Mikey played the photographer in the winter.
Emma and I built one snowman after another, and Mikey took what felt like hundreds of photos, where you later even heard from Emma that Mikey had even used a photo he took of you and Emma as his phone background.
Mikey and I also took a few secret photos of Emma and Draken without their knowledge, which you both then sent to them separately.
Both are unaware that each of them has hung the photo in their room.
Then on New Year's Eve, Mikey and I had our first kiss.
Mikey and I were both 15 years old at the time. On that day, the four of us went together to the New Year's Eve spectacle.
And when Emma and Draken briefly left us alone because Emma wanted something to eat, Mikey and I were suddenly alone. But shortly after, the fireworks started without Emma and Draken.
In a brief moment during the fireworks, you looked at Mikey and he looked at you. Forgetting the fireworks behind you, he then leaned toward me and kissed me.
It felt somehow magical. As if hundreds of butterflies were fluttering around in my stomach.
and now it was already summer. The relationship that resulted from their childhood friendship was becoming more and more a real romantic relationship.
(POV) Kaname
It was already too perfect.
Mikey had started bringing me flowers regularly now since he found out which were my favorite flowers.
I loved flowers.
They were so pure. They were innocent and lived only until they withered again. They already attracted me magically.
It all started when Mikey gave me some for our anniversary. Apparently, he had gotten the tip about the flowers from Mitsuya, Emma later told me. I just laughed.
A sweet gesture.
And when Mikey noticed how happy this simple gesture made me, he started giving me flowers regularly at every meeting.
Emma even joked that Mikey had even gotten a monthly plan from Draken and Mitsuya to avoid giving me the same flowers all the time.
Quickly, my room filled up with flowers. At first, he had told me to let him know when a bouquet wilted so he could give me a new one.
But he didn't keep that promise. Emma told me, amused, that her brother took so much joy in giving me flowers that he started bringing me flowers every week or even several times a week.
And when he forgot, he would get so upset about it and usually pluck another flower on the way to me to keep his promise.
I often told him that he didn't have to buy me so many flowers, but he insisted as if it were his duty.
Every time Draken was with us, he just shook his head at his friend's infatuation.
That I liked this particular type of flower so much because my brother always gave them to me for my birthday, back when he wasn't in prison, I didn't tell him.
Only Emma, because she always knew that I didn't just like these kinds of flowers because they were beautiful.
I also had a favorite flower shop.
It was not far from my home, and I often went there. Just to look at the flowers, smell them, to feel as if I were in a flower meadow.
In the past, I often went there with my brother, but now Mikey and Emma were by my side, amusedly watching me eye the flowers with such enthusiasm, as if they were pure gold.
Neither of them understood my obsession with flowers, but they were happy that I had found something that brought me so much joy.
He sometimes brought me flowers when he had a gang meeting in the evening.
I appreciate it very much, but I must admit it was also embarrassing for me at times. All these boys in their uniforms, watching their admired leader as he ran to me like a child with flowers in his hand, proudly showing them to me as if he had a treasure in his hand.
I never got used to all the pairs of eyes that always stared at me.
"The girlfriend of the invincible Mikey" "the girl of the leader" I only heard it. Not my name, which most didn't know anyway because they never asked. I was just Mikey's girlfriend.
I knew it. I only had him.
To call him that, they all had the right to. There was nothing more there. But I promise myself that I will change someday.
Someday, I would have Katzutora by my side again, Mikey on the other, and Emma, who was a part of me. Then I would be Kaname.
Kaname. Who didn't need anyone, but had everyone she needed.
Stupid came to my mind. So stupid.
But I didn't have time to think about it now because the meeting was already over.
The sky was dark, and only the faint lights of the lanterns or the headlights of the cars provided any visibility. It was as if the nite sky enveloped us all. And in the center, Mikey. He literally radiated.
It was as if he were the light for all of us.
The members saw him as such. As their light that showed them the way in the darkness.
He could speak well. His speeches fascinated everyone, including me. He looked thru the crowd while standing on the top steps in front of the shrine. Like a messiah.
I looked beside me. Emma observed the whole scene. As always, she was fascinated by how her brother, who was usually so childish, could appear so grown-up here. It amazed me too.
I had the feeling the meeting flew by.
Faster than I could notice, they were already in front of me.
Mikey, Draken, Mitsuya, Pah, and Baji.
Mikey's closest friends. But suddenly, I noticed someone new. He was not much taller than Mikey, had spiky hair like Chifuyu used to have, and looked rather anxious.
He was right behind Draken until he noticed him and made way for Soda so he could stand with the group.
Pah, Mitsuya, and Baji didn't stay long. They just wanted to say hello to Emma and me. Baji ruffled Emma's and my hair. Everyone laughed while Emma and I tried to fix our hair again, a bit annoyed.
And just like that, they were gone. Left us behind in the dim light under a lantern next to the motorcycles.
Only then did I take a closer look at the new guy. Not for long, but long enough to get an impression. Emma next to me seemed to have met him before. She didn't seem surprised by the newcomer, but rather confused about why he was there.
Mikey then introduced us to this boy with a grin on his face and an arm around his shoulder.
Takemichi.
It didn't take long before we left this place as well.
But just before that, I noticed something strange as Mikey stood next to me and hugged me from the side, while he dreamily buried his head in my neck and sometimes looked up at me to give me a kiss on my cheek.
This Takemichi looked confused. But not as if he was just briefly confused that Mikey had a girlfriend, but confused that I existed. As if he couldn't believe that I was real.
I could have sworn that if he hadn't composed himself so quickly, he would have come to me to touch me to make sure I was really real.
He didn't lose that look.
Not even as time passed. Days, weeks, and he became closer and closer with Mikey. It was as if he knew something that no one else did.
(POV) Takemichi
When I first met that girl standing next to Emma, I wondered who she was. Then when Mikey hugged her and repeatedly kissed her, I was shocked.
It couldn't be. How could I forget such an important detail? Why didn't I know that she existed? Was she really real? Was she the reason why Hina was killed in the future?
Why was she here, how could Naoto not have told me about it?
At first, I thot she probably wasn't that important.
But as I spent more time with Mikey, I realized that I absolutely needed to know if I had to save her too.
When I then returned to the future and asked Naoto about it, he knew nothing about the fact that Mikey had a girlfriend back then.
As if she had never existed.
It crossed my mind.
When he then searched for the name, he found the missing information.
Found them.
--------------------------------
Kaname Hanemiya
Age at death: 15 years
Born on: October 30, 1990
Died on: November 1, 2005
Cause of death: Suicide
--------------------------------
I hesitated.
Suicide. This term raced thru my mind. How had she begun suicide? She looked so happy. She looked so happy when she was with the others.
Was that why Mikey had become like that? Since his then-girlfriend committed suicide?
No, that couldn't be. He didn't just become like this because of one person.
But that was just a trivial thot floating around in my head now.
I had to check the batteries. Naoto showed me the news. Akkus was now a part of the Tokyo Manji Gang. He wanted to become a hairdresser.
I managed to meet with Akkus.
But when we then went together to the roof of his club, he told me that he was Kisaki's slave.
Kisaki? So he was the bad guy, not Mikey? Was he somehow responsible for Kaname's death after all?
But even as thousands of questions raced thru my mind, Akkus climbed onto the railing.
I hesitated. As if I were frozen
He won't...
He turned around to me again. He said everything changed when Draken was murdered back then.
Then he looked into the dark nite sky, as if peace were waiting for him there.
Peace from this world. Peace from all his problems. Peace from his life, his problems, from himself.
He asked me to change the future for the better.
Then he jumped.
And me? I just stood there.
He died that day. My best friend from my youth. Before my eyes.
I didn't even have the chance to really say goodbye because I had to go back to the past again.
I can't do this. It went thru my mind.
Why me? Why did I have to save everyone?
I wasn't Mikey, strong like no other, or like Draken. I was Takemichi. Weak and always crying. I couldn't fight, let alone kill Mikey.
Why was I sent back to the past? Why me?
Why couldn't someone else do it who was stronger than me?
--------------------------------
A moment later, I was already back in the past on Akku's bike.
He was alive. Tears ran down my face. He lived...
Soon it was the festival where dragons were to be killed.
Emma, Draken and Hina we met outside before the festival. I was a little confused about where Mikey and Kaname were.
I mean, they would have definitely come along, or did they want to be alone together?
I asked Draken, and he just laughed and explained to me that both of them actually wanted to come along, but Kaname had strict parents and didn't want her out until midnight. So both Mikey and Kaname went to the festival earlier. He said that we would either meet there or that they would already be on their way back if Mikey had overindulged again.
I nodded. That made sense. Partially. Strict parents and dating a leader of one of the strongest gangs made no sense to me.
I brought it up with Draken. About my confusion regarding it.
Now Emma laughed too, while Hina listened interestingly.
Emma told me that Mikey and Kaname had known each other since childhood and that their parents knew him too. She also told me that she believed that if they were just getting to know each other now, they definitely wouldn't start a relationship.
I dismissed it as if her parents simply wouldn't let her date a delinquent.
Only later, after Halloween, did I understand that Emma didn't mean her parents back then, but herself. She wouldn't date Mikey if they just met.
But at that time, this idea didn't even cross my mind.
(POV) Mikey
Kaname and I went to the festival early. Actually, we wanted to go with the others, but then we would have had so little time until they had to leave again. I didn't want to put him thru that.
We went right at the beginning of the festival. It wasn't even fully dark in the sky yet, but that didn't ruin the mood. A red-violet veil formed in the sky.
It looked even more beautiful than if it were covered by darkness.
She looked even more beautiful.
Standing in front of me in that yukata covered with a floral pattern. Everything suited her. A floral ornament in her hair that I gave her last New Year's Eve.
It left me speechless. I stared at her for a good few minutes until she just gently laughed and tapped my cheek to see if I was still responsive.
I started to grin and took her in my arms. Buried my head in her neck.
One of her hands firmly rested on my back, the other ran thru my blonde hair.
In that moment, I wished time could stop. Right here and right now. I wanted to live in this moment forever. In her arms, while in that moment there were no problems, no worries, and only happiness.
We then went to the festival together, where there were hardly any people yet. Not many people, but we used this to try everything everyplace, where she eventually stopped because she was already feeling sick from all the food, but I still wanted to try the rest.
She asked me how anything else could possibly fit in my stomach, and I laughed and jokingly said that my stomach was made of rubber.
̀
She laughed. Her laughter fascinated me.
But we left again, quite a while even before the fireworks.
I took her home, and we both went to her room to watch the fireworks from her window.
But just before the fireworks could even start, I got a call that Draken was under attack.
I quickly said goodbye, told them I had forgotten something, and rode my motorcycle to the festival.
On that day, Draken didn't die, thanks to Takemichi.
I don't tell Kaname anything. I didn't want to burden her with something like that.
Like everything that happened in the gang.
When I told Takemichi shortly after the attack on Draken, I explained to him that Draken was very important to me. I wanted to live with everything in the future. With marrying Kaname, Daken as my best man. Both would open a motorcycle shop right next to Kaname's and Emma's flower shop.
(POV)Takemichi
Mikey told me about his future dream when he thanked me for saving Draken.
It hurt to hear that. Mikey couldn't know that in the last future, none of that came true.
But I had hope. If Draken was alive now, then the others had to be in the future too, right?
Then Mikey's dream would be fulfilled.
But when I returned to the future, it was shocking. Yes, Draken was alive. Except for Kaname. And Mikey was just like before.
I told Naoto I wanted to meet Draken. He was in prison at that time.
Charged guilty for murder.
When I met with him, I asked him how Mikey could have become like that.
He told me that everything changed after Baji's death. Baji was very important to Mikey but also to Mikey's girlfriend Kaname. Both argued afterward and broke up. Then Kaname began to commit suicide on New Year's Eve.
I hesitated. I thot draken was the key point. But there were so many. How was I supposed to manage to save them all?
But Draken said one more thing before I had to leave again.
I should save Mikey.
This plea lodged itself in my head.
When I then returned to the past, I suddenly found myself with Hina.
She looked at me a bit annoyed and asked if I had been listening. I apologized and asked if she could repeat it.
She agreed. I was so glad afterward that I asked for a repeat.
She told me that Emma and she got along really well and that they often met with Kaname. She told me how she noticed how close both girls were.
Almost like sisters. That they knew each other so well and understood each other so that they always knew what the other was thinking. And that when she and Emma were alone, she told her that she was worried that Kaname and Mikey might ever get into a fight.
I looked at her in shock. How could Emma know that?
Hina looked at me for a second and then continued. Emma is afraid of what might happen if they both started arguing. It was probably an important concern for her. A matter that occupied her greatly.
She continued to tell that Emma told her that Kaname was like Mikey's peace, which he always maintained as long as she was with him. She was afraid of what might happen to Mikey.
I listened to Hina and understood.
I had to save Baji so that Kaname and Mikey wouldn't separate, and Kaname wouldn't kill himself, and Mikey wouldn't become the person he is now.
(POV) Kaname
It would only be a few more days until my brother would be released from prison again.
When he was still in prison, I tried to visit him as often as possible, sometimes even Baji came with me. Mikey never.
I could understand it, but the rest of his former friends didn't come either. Did they hate him too? Did they also hate my brother like Mikey did?
I once heard from my brother that Draken came to visit him. He asked him to come back. To Toman. To Mikey. To everyone else.
My brother refused, saying Mikey was to blame for him being here now.
I hesitated when my brother had told me that back then.
In that moment, I realized that Katzutora was still convinced that Mikey was to blame.
But a part of me, deeply hidden, didn't believe that. Katzutora was not stupid. I didn't understand how he came to blame Mikey. But when I looked deep into his eyes that day, when he told me, I understood it.
Guilt.
From that moment, I knew there was something deeply hidden in my brother that could still be saved.
He felt guilty. Maybe he couldn't handle the fact that he killed Shinichiro. I mean, in the past, he saw him as a role model. As someone who showed him what he wanted to do later.
But how was I supposed to manage to save him? My brother.
I could never do it alone. I had been trying all the time, but it just didn't work out for me.
A few days before my brother got out of prison, I met with Baji.
We both sat by the water and looked over the landscape.
Then he promised me something that I would never forget.
"I will bring your brother back, come what may."
This sentence burned itself into my brain.
I started crying without realizing it.
Crying so bitterly that I thot I could never stop. I tried to get a "thank you" out of my mouth. But a lump formed in my throat that swallowed every word.
I cried, and Baji next to me looked at me now. He grinned and put his arm around me, pulling me closer so that my head lay on his chest over his heart. I clung to his shirt and cried.
I was scared. I really wanted to have my brother back, but I knew that the likelihood of Mikey and Katzutora hating each other for a lifetime was greater than them ever reconciling.
When I finally got myself together, I spoke.
A quiet thank you came from my mouth.
I asked baji if he knew what my greatest wish would be, for which I would even die.
I denied it.
I looked up.
"Living together with Emma, Mikey, and Katzutora like we used to."
I smiled at nothing and told Baji that I imagined I would someday open a flower shop. Emma would marry Draken, and I, Mikey, and Katzutora would understand each other again. Katzutora would apologize and Mikey would forgive him. Mikey and I would have kids, and Katzutora and he would be the cool uncles who spoiled the children. No more gangs, just a normal life, without deaths, and only the good memories of the teenage years when Mikey and the rest of the boys were in a gang.
Baji looked at me and smiled.
He promised me that he would fulfilll my dream.
I cried again and baji tried to wipe away my tears.
No one found out about this conversation. Not Mikey, not Emma, not Chifuyu, and not even my brother.
I couldn't talk to Mikey about it because he hated Katzutora, not Emma because I didn't want to drag her into it, not Chifuyu because he didn't know the whole story, and not my brother because he didn't understand my dream.
Then my brother came out of prison again.
I waited alone to pick him up. As soon as he was outside, I ran to him in tears and hugged him.
I finally had him back.
Our parents didn't come with me to pick up their son.
They saw Katzutora as a disgrace to the family. As someone they no longer wanted to have anything to do with.
When we went home together, our parents no longer spoke to him. They treated him as if he didn't even exist. As if he weren't even there.
In Katzutora's eyes, I saw that he still despised our mother for not leaving our father with us to protect us.
But despite the current tension at home, I was happy to have Katzutora back here. I loved him and decided never to let him go again.
But what I also noticed was how he had changed. He was quieter, didn't talk too much anymore, and was more withdrawn.
But I had hope. Hope to pull him out of his hole. To help him. To bring him back together with his old friends.
______________________________________
(POV) Mikey
Katzutora came out of prison. I had hoped so much that this day would never come. Now it would be even harder to keep Kaname away from him to protect her.
I was not at all pleased that Katzutora was now back with Kaname, at her home, and that they saw each other every day. I knew that Kaname was attached to him, but I couldn't understand it. How could she be attached to a person who had caused me so much pain?
After her brother was back, things became a bit different between Kaname and me. We still met, but I knew there were now so many unspoken things.
Things I couldn't tell her and probably many things she couldn't tell me.
Not long after Katzutora's release from prison, Baji and I had a fight.
The argument we had postponed for so long until Katzutora's release.
I was of the opinion that Kaname was better off without her brother and that it would spare her more pain than if she stayed with him.
Baji didn't understand that. He argued that we should bring Katzutora back.
That Katzutora would apologize and everything would be like it used to be.
Like before? Katzutora himself destroyed the past. Him. All by himself.
Why should I bring my brother's murderer to Toman and reconcile with him again?
Baji and I were arguing so fiercely that the others were already trying to calm us down, but it was too late. Neither of us would change our minds, and we knew that.
Baji left Toman. The toman that he himself co-founded back then.
I didn't tell Kaname that. She thot everything was fine and that there was only a conflict between me and her brother.
Draken and Mitsuya tried to convince me that Baji and I should reconcile. Even Pah asked me to do that from prison.
I realized it. To get Baji back. Katzutora? No, not him, just baji.
Also because Baji is now joining another gang where Katzutora was as well.
________________________________________
(POV) Takemichi
I came back to the past with the goal of saving Baji, so that Kaname and Mikey wouldn't fight, both wouldn't separate, Kaname wouldn't end up hurting himself, and Mikey wouldn't become the way he is in the present, in order to also save Hina.
I knew that Baji would leave Toman, but when I was on site, I couldn't stop him.
Mikey couldn't be stopped, and everything developed in a way it shouldn't have.
Then I met Chifuyu. Baji's best friend. He tried to get Baji back to Toman.
When I spoke to him and promised to help him, it was impossible.
Chifuyu was beaten up by Baji, who was now in the new gang Valhalla.
When we both talked afterward, I learned about his plan.
Chifuyu couldn't understand why Baji was joining Valhalla. He knew just as little as I did about the promise Baji made to himself and Kaname to save his best friend.
But when Chifuyu and I met more often to make a plan, he told me that he, Chifuyu, made a promise to a girl that he couldn't break. He promised that girl he would bring Baji back.
As I watched Chifuyu talk about this girl who was so important to him, I realized that he really liked this girl.
I asked if this girl was his girlfriend.
Chifuyu laughed bitterly but denied my question. It told that she was a good friend of Baji. Yes, he liked her, but it was a one-sided love that would never be reciprocated.
I looked at him with a grin and asked why he didn't just try. I didn't know that at that moment he was talking about Kaname, Mikey's Kaname.
Chifuyu told me that he couldn't try that. She was in a relationship and loved her boyfriend. And she only saw him as the best friend of a good friend of hers, nothing more.
I looked at Chifuyu and recognized the pain in his eyes.
I decided not to ask further, but Chifuyu told me that he might confess his love to her someday to find closure. I agreed that it would probably be the best idea.
------------------------------------------------
(POV) Katzutora
Soon it would be Kaname's birthday. Her birthday was on October 30th. One day before Halloween. The Halloween where I, Valhalla, would fight against Toman.
On her birthday, we went out briefly in the morning because we wanted to go to her favorite flower shop.
When we stood in front of it and she had to wait outside for a moment because I wanted to surprise her by buying her a bouquet, I didn't notice how guys were hitting on her in front of the flower shop.
When I came out again and saw this group
saw guys talking to my sister and she visibly felt uncomfortable. I went to them, but a boy was already there.
Kisaki. Kisaki, who persuaded me to join Valhalla back then. Behind him, Hanma, the leader of Valhalla. The gang of which I was a member.
Both stepped between my sisters and the boys, and those boys were visibly intimidated by the giant Hanma.
When I approached the group, still holding the bouquet, I stepped up to my sister. I gave her a smile and handed her the bouquet; she looked at me a bit abruptly. But before she could say anything to me, I stepped up to the guy who was talking to my sister and punched him. My hand was covered in blood because his nose was probably broken. I stood up normally again, turned around with a neutral expression, and gave Kisaki and Hanma a sign that they could take care of it. I took Kaname to the flower shop and bought her another bouquet as an apology for having to witness such a thing.
Afterward, when we came out again, Hanma and Kisaki were waiting for us. I introduced my sister to both of them. Kaname smiled uncertainly and introduced himself.
Kisaki smiled and said he was pleased to meet my sister. He said that she could always contact him if she needed help.
When we got home, the cake I had prepared for her was already waiting.
But just as she was putting the flowers I had bought into a vase, the doorbell rang.
I was sitting relaxed on the sofa when my sister went to the door.