Astrophile

116

Yet again we are reminded that @BRI IS AN ARTISTIC GENIUS!! LOOK AT HOW COOL SHE LOOKS!! AHHHH-

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Although Takemichi returned to the dining table, his mind was occupied with what Chifuyu had told him.

You were dead. And so was Baji-san...

Clenching the fabric of his pants in his fists, he glared at the plate of luxurious food placed in front of him. Chifuyu said that you were first shot in the womb, and then stabbed...

Does that mean you must have been conscious while getting stabbed? Did they torture you? Did they even let you scream for help?

Unknown to Takemichi, tears began to well up his eyes once more and Pah-chin turned his head to stare at him. A pang of guilt rested in the older male. Hanagaki Takemichi was one of your closest friends, and Haruki really didn't like hurting anyone who was close to you.

Biting down on his fried rice, the chubby male turned to the time traveler, "Oi, Hanagaki..." there was no way in hell that Pah-chin would apologize to anyone, but... he did feel a bit bad.

"Eat your food, or else it'll go cold..." With those simple words, the male turned back to his own plate and began chomping down. Takemichi stared at him in shock as Pah-chin just causally low-key apologized to him.

Then again, the chubby male did consider you one of his closest friends and you both were like siblings, so he could see why Haruki was so on edge after you were mentioned...

He probably didn't want to remember anything about your painful end.

However, before Takemichi could take a bite from his meal, Hanma started something.

"Don't think we're gathered here just for talking about monthly finances... Over the course of three days, Koko's IT company and Hakkai's corporate frontier were all investigated by the police..."

A grim atmosphere surrounded them all as he continued, "In other words... there's a traitor among us..."

Almost immediately, eyes began darting here and there, trying to pin the blame on each other. But before anyone could point any fingers, Pah-chin shot up, "That's bullshit!! We may be gang but we don't turn on our comrades!!"

At his statement, Kokonoi started, "Are you stupid? If there's no traitor then how the hell were all our businesses investigated?!"

"Hey, stupid and moron are the same things, bastard!!" Peh-yan came to rescue Pah-chin from getting insulted but Smiley chimed in, "I'm the one who called him moron."

The scarred male with the buzz cut also added in, "If you're gonna go against Koko then I'll be the one who you'll be fighting!"

In the midst of it, Takemichi was struggling over the fact that he didn't have Naoto's phone number. What on Earth is going on in this future?!

However, someone finally interrupted their quarrel.

That someone being... Kisaki Tetta.

"Oh, having fun, huh?" He greeted with a smile as every person seated around the table shot up and bowed down. Even Chifuyu bowed down, "Good evening, sir!"

Takemichi's eyes widened when he saw the glasses-wearing male, "Ah, no need for the formalities!" Kisaki reassured and walked over as someone began addressing him, "You never show up for the manager meetings, Kisaki-san!" The said man laughed a bit before turning his head in the direction of the timeleaper.

And Takemichi just sat their dumbfounded, "Ah... Takemicchi. Chifuyu."

At the mention of their names, the two males stood on guard, "Could I talk to you both for a moment?"

"It's a nice place, isn't it? I've had it recently built..."

Kisaki stated while letting them over to a nice opening, "Have a seat."

While Takemichi did, Chifuyu still stood behind his friend, "Chifuyu, take a seat too!" Kisaki insisted but the ravenette lowered his head a bit, "I believe I'm not of the status to do so."

"Hahaha, as uptight as ever!" He laughed joyously, making Takemichi squint his eyes at him, "Say, you both... what do you think of me?"

The question was sudden, almost like Kisaki was wanting to catch them off guard, "Huh?" Was all Takemichi could muster up.

"You hate me, don't you?" Before Takemichi could panic and refuse, he continued.

"It was around this time that the Bloody Halloween had taken place, right? [Name]-san had gotten stabbed for Baji's sake... If only she had known that saving a murderer like him... would have resulted in her own death... I wonder if she would have done the same?"

Chifuyu grit his teeth, remembering the awful state your body was found in. God, that day still gives him nightmares.

"It was my fault..."

Those words caused Takemichi and Chifuyu to stop breathing for a second. Did he mean... that he knew about you getting murdered?!

"I had gotten a message from Baji that day... Since [Name]-san and Baji were not on speaking terms, he wanted me to bring [Name]-san to Musashi Shrine... He must have known that no one would show up at that shrine on Christmas Eve..."

Tears began to well up in his eyes as he covered his face, "I... I thought it would be a breach of their privacy if I stayed, so I left... If only... If only I had stayed there... I knew [Name]-san didn't trust me... It's because I was the one who orchestrated the entire Bloody Halloween..."

Takemichi watched in horror as Kisaki showed obvious guilt over everything, "I was the one who had Hanemiya Kazutora try to hurt Baji..."

"At first... I was guilty, but now... I wonder if Baji had died that day... Would [Name]-san have lived? She would have gotten married, had kids!! She had so much to live for!!" Uncovering his face, Kisaki got up and walked over to both of them, "Takemichi. Chifuyu...."

He bowed down to his waist while starting remorsefully, "I know that my apology won't change anything, but please... Do know that I am forever regretful for not just the Bloody Halloween, but also leaving [Name]-san alone with Baji Keisuke..."

He raised his head and offered them a shaky smile, "I know it won't change anything, but please have a drink with me, just this once..."

The two shared a look, but nodded nonetheless. Picking up their glasses, the three of them raised them high, "A toast to the lady who was the greatest of us all, [Last Name][Name]-sama!"

Drinking their own drinks, a while had passed as Kisaki got up to peer outside the window. Chifuyu was busy lost in his own thoughts but then... The blonde started, "By the way... When I said that Baji was the one who killed [Name]-san..."

He turned his head over, a sickening grin ever present on his lips.

"That was a lie."