Amore Mio || Sano Manjiro [✓ ]

⋆ ˚ 𖦹ْꓸ ⋆୨ chapter seventeen ᵎᵎ

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪
╰┈➤ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 I was headed straight to Takemichi'a house. I forgot to check up on him yesterday after all that took place—and I kind of forgot to tell him I just up and left. I was hoping he wasn't too worried about me. When I got there, he was already walking away, looking heavily sleep deprived.

"Takemichi!" I yelled to get his attention, waving my arms into the air.

"Oh (Name), glad to see you're alright. Sorry about yesterday." He rubbed the back of his head with an awkward smile, then yawning shortly after.

"No worries, I chose to follow you guys anyways. You're okay right?" I continued to walk with him down the street. Before he could answer another voice started to call to us.

"Oi! C'mere!" Both of us turned our heads, spotting a blond boy sitting on a swing. Immediately I recognized him as the same guy being beat up from yesterday, evident from the bandages covering his face. "Sit down." He motioned to the swings beside him.

Takemichi and I gave each other a 'wtf' look before turning our attention back at this strange young man. "Both of us got pretty messed up yesterday huh?" The bandaged boy continued.

"Is that the wind talking?" Takemichi nervously said, trying to ignore him and continue on his way. I watched as he halted, appearing to have come to a realization. "Wait yesterday?"

"Baji is pretty cool isn't he?" The boy snickered, staring at Takemichi who was not facing him.

"You're the kid who got the shit beat out of him!" He yelled, probably waking up the whole neighborhood. I quickly shushed Takemichi, and we sat down on the swings to listen to what the bruised male wanted to tell us.

"Listen, it's about Baji joining Valhalla."

__ __

I had listened to Chifuyu and Takemichi talk about something gang related. From what I gathered there was an important member, Baji, who suddenly quit Mikey's gang. He joined their rivals, without telling them his actual plan was to infiltrate and get information about another guy. At least that is what Chifuyu believes. According to him nothing was confirmed by Baji himself.

Now we were walking toward the graveyard to meet up with Mikey. I followed behind Takemichi, feeling a little out of place. Since they were talking about important stuff, I had no knowledge of anything—courtesy of Mikey refusing to let me get involved with in these affairs.

"Sorry to drag you into this stuff again (Name)." Takemichi threw and apologetic smile my way, but I simply shrugged. I really didn't mind too much, I normally wouldn't be doing anything today anyways.

"No worries, really." I continued to follow the two until we stopped at the familiar cemetery.  That's when I saw Mikey standing near a grave, looking solemnly down toward the ground.

"So you heard about my brother." Mikey shifted his attention to the gravestone. Draken moved to stand behind him, looking down at the names.

"Shinichirou was a great guy." He turned to face Takemichi and I, his black piercing eyes dug holes into my own. "That 'incident' is beyond help now. It's not as if Kazutora or Baji wanted it to happen."

"Yeah I know that there's nothing to be done about it now." Mikey cut in, still staring ahead. "But my heart won't listen." He explained to us how the bike they were trying to steal, was actually his birthday present from Shin to him.

Hearing that made my heart shatter into pieces. I'd known that his brother had passed, but not how he actually died; I never asked Mikey out of respect for his feelings. I looked down at my feet, a weird sad feeling overtaking me. Although I had yet to hear the full story, I began to put pieces together.

"I forgave Baji, but I'll never forgive my brothers killer. Kazutora." His voice grew harsh, and he turned to face Takemichi with an angry gaze. "I told you to bring Baji to me, and you bring the first division vice captain. What do you want Takemichi? Do you want to die?" I felt Takemichi shiver slightly, before Chifuyu finally spoke up.

"(Name), I think it's best if you step outside for now." Takemichi nervously pointed outside the yard, reminiscent of the same way he saved me from yesterday. I immediately made my way out, the tension hanging in the air was becoming too much for me anyways. I was glad Takemichi could tell I was getting uncomfortable again. I sat down outside, not ready to go back yet, but unable to just ditch again.

I became so lost in thought, processing everything that had happened. I must have lost track of time, as Mikey himself made his way out to the gate. His mood still somewhat sour, because he wasn't excited to see me as he usually is. Instead he stood in front of me rather coldly, which is something I'd never seen from him before.

"They took you to the Valhalla hideout?" I heard him ask, and at first I thought it was just a harmless question.

However his eyes painted a different picture, pure rage was brimming from out of his pupils; despite how calmed he tried to appear.

I only felt shivers crawl down my spine as I got up to face his looming shadow.

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╰┈➤ EDITED ♡