HIS PRIDE ⇀ Manjiro Sano

Part 17

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A/N: Hey everyone! Don't worry, this isn't gonna be a warning abt crying, this time! But, this chapter is a ton of backstory! There's not a ton of Akira x Mikey stuff! I like to think that I'm good enough at writing Akira and his friends to capture your attention but if not, that's fine!! But boy oh boy, I think this chapter is my first banger of this story. I really really like it and love what it sets up for the future!

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The hospital room was silent as Akira stared at the two faces he hadn't seen in months, the two that had left for a new country, different opportunities.

"You gonna say something, Kiki?" Daichi asked, folding his arms over his chest with a ghost of a smile on his face. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he regretted not saying when the two left.

"Who the hell are you two?" Mikey asked, agitated about his moment with Akira being interrupted. The black-haired boy furrowed his eyebrows at the short boy in his old friend's bed, taking a step forwards.

Akira took in the familiar faces that had looks slightly different. Daichi had gotten taller, his lanky frame now filled out, having much more muscle on him. Slim glasses sat atop his nose as he narrowed his eyes at the boy, wearing a nice-looking polo shirt and some jeans. If Aki was honest, he wasn't ever super close with Daichi. They were still good friends back in the day but Daichi was closer with Kota and Asahi.

The shorter two-toned boy standing next to him hadn't changed that much. His burn over his eye had healed and faded while his hair was as bright as ever. He looked much more casual, wearing a hoodie with a black bomber on top of it with some sweatpants.

Raiden looked somewhat uncomfortable there, folding his arms over his chest as he made eye contact with Akira. The two had been extremely close, almost as close as Asahi and Akira were these days.

There was one more missing person that Akria had been even closer with, but he was gone, and he wouldn't be coming back.

"Daichi, Daichi Sato. I'm one of Akira's old friends, this two-toned, burned idiot is Raiden Toji. You are?" Daichi asked the blonde boy before the returning silver-haired duo walked through the door.

"See, I told you no one would be talking about your hair- who the hell?" Mitsuya spoke, smiling up at Asahi before looking at the two new faces, his smile disappearing at them.

"There's the skyscraper... Where's Cotton Candy at?" Raiden asked, popping the gum in his mouth. Asahi took a step in front of Mitsuya, staring at the two with anger in his eyes.

"What the hell are you two doing back here?" Asahi asked the two, Daichi looking to Raiden with a raised eyebrow.

"That's a nice way to greet your two long-lost friends," Daichi spoke, a slightly offended tone lacing his words.

"Friends is a strong term for it..." Asahi mumbled, feeling Mitsuya's hand on his lower back, telling him he could handle himself.

"What about the commander? Where's he?" Daichi asked, turning back to the two in the hospital bed, Mikey standing up to make sure the two strangers didn't try anything.

"He's gone, he hasn't come back. Just like you hadn't." Asahi spoke causing Daichi to sigh, shaking his head.

"You never were the nice type, Asahi. Oh well, we're back now, we're here and we want to get the gang back together, we'll leave you be." Daichi spoke, looking to Raiden who nodded, shrugging as he yawned.