A love Once cherished

Chapter 19 Oh look there's Hanma........ WAIT! A CAR!?

XENO'S POV

I walked along the side of the road, bag in hand as I headed to meet Draken at the hospital. I’m so glad that he’s alive......... I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done, if something happened to him. “Hello Ma'am. May I see Ken Ryuguji please?”. “Of course, go right ahead!”, squeaked out a pretty lady as her face flushed. Not minding her flustered state, I thanked her and walked up the stairs to his room. “Honestly, why do they make so many stairs?”. *knock knock*. Hearing a muffled reply when I knocked, I opened the door and saw Draken lying on the bad, reading a book about motorcycles. Does he ever read anything else? “I came to visit you Draken, or are you gonna continue reading that thing?”, I pouted as I sat next to him. “Hm? Ah, Xeno. Sorry. Didn’t notice you there, what did you bring?”, he asked curiously while looking at the bag. “Just some food I made, you must be sick of the hospital food, right?”. “Mhm! Dlcios". “HEY! WHEN DID YOU GET THAT!?”. “When you weren’t looking". Shaking my head as Draken started eating his second bowl of soup, I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room, searching for some cutlery since I only brought some for Draken. I was hungry too you know. “Where is the damn fo- found it!”, I cheered as I finally found a fork and spoon. I didn’t need a knife since I can always use my hands. Walking back to Draken's hospital room, I was taken aback as the door swung open. “He- oh! Take- THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING!?”. “Oh hi Xeno-kun! Nice seeing you so early, but I need to go see Mikey, see you!”, he waved as I stood there sweating and muttering incoherently. Walking inside Draken’s room, I sit down quietly and take out a bowl for myself and proceed to eat robotically. “I take it you saw his outfit huh?”. “............ IT WAS THE MOST HIDEOUS, ASTROCIOUS THING IVE EVER SAW! I-", and it continued like that for a while as I ranted to him about Takemichi's poor outfit. “.......... are you done?”. “*heavy breathing*. Yeah I’m done. I’ll be going now since I’ve got things to do, see ya!”. “Bye!”. After leaving the hospital, I decided to go for a walk to Mitsuya's house. I haven’t seen Mana and Luna yet after all. Those two are adorable! I wonder how cute they’ve become.......

TAKEMICHI'S POV FUTURE

■Badump!■

After feeling that shock of electricity again, I knew I was in the future thanks to shaking Naoto's hand.

“How many times must I repeat myself, hm?”. Takemichi Hanagaki-kuuuuun”. “Huh? Boss?”. “Put the dad’s back on display as soon as they’re returned. Haven’t I told you a thousand times?”, she blankly looked at me as I looked around in confusion. I’m at work?

After meeting Akkun, I sat in Naoto's car as we drove to Hina's apartment. “When I checked, I found out...... that the incident that killed my sister, never happened in the first place”. “The Toman dispute?”, I asked just in case I got it wrong. “Yes. I never imagined you’d pull it off Takemichi-kun". “Huh?”. What’s that supposed to mean? “Well, you’re kind of a screw up". “You wanna throw hands asshole?”, I questioned while wearing a ticked off expression. “Haha. You get to see Hina now, so wasn’t it all worth it?”. He’s right........ I get to see Hina. “Getting to see her in the present…….. it’s like a dream come true”, I whispered as Naoto smiled knowingly. I was smiling all the way to the apartment block until we finally stopped. “We’re here”. Huh? I didn’t even notice that we arrived. “I wonder if she’d changed at all”. “Of course she has. 12 years have passed since you left”, Naoto looked back at me with a ‘are you stupid or what?’ Look. “She’s grown into a proper adult. She’s an elementary school teacher now”. I imagined up a scenario where Hina welcomed me with open arms. There’s no way reuniting with Hina……. Is gonna be like that… “Naoto”. “Yes?”. “I don’t think…… I can see her after all”. “Huh? Why the sudden change of heart?”. Rubbing the back of my head I confessed my thoughts and feelings. “When I really think about it, I saved Hina’s life you know? But she doesn’t know I saved her. You should go see her, Naoto. Cause you’re her little bro. I’m just a stranger to her”, I smiled as I turned to leave. “Takemichi…..”. “I told her to have a good life. That’s enough for me”………….. 12 years……. It’s been 12 years Huh….. there’s no way she’d remember some guy…….. from 12 years ago. What the hell am I doing? After all I’ve been through……… I haven’t changed a bit! I think as I bang the wall. I’m still a 26 year old virgin part timer. “No way can I see Hina. I changed the present. So why am I the only one…… who hasn’t changed at all….?!”. That time-leap taught me…… that in the end, I’m a loser at heart. I’d better go…… back to my old life….. Walking out the door I crashed into someone. “Ab. Sor-“. Huh. Am I hallucinating? “Takemichi-kun?”. No. I’m not hallucinating. I smile as tears start to drop from my eyes. It really was her, “What the….?”. You’re right in front of me. “Is something wrong?”. “No! Everything’s fine”, I rub my tears away as they keep falling. You’re looking at me the way you did back then. “Crap! I can’t stop”. “Takemichi-kun, you….. always show up at the weirdest times”.

We were sitting around a table in Hina’s apartment, as the tension was so thick that you can cut it with a knife. “Uh…..so….”. “Yes!”. “….nice weather huh?!”. “YES!!”. “It’s overcast”, Naoto bluntly stated as he started to get pissed off. “You two haven’t seen each other in years and the best you can do? Starting off with the weather? You must have so much to catch up on”. “Well…..! I’m just so nervous….. I don’t know where to start”. “…..It’s been so long”. ………………….. “I’m leaving”. “W-W-W-WAIT, NAOTO!”. “This atmosphere is killing me. You two deal with it. Goodbye”, he speaks as he prepared to leave, that was before I clung to his leg. “If you leave me alone with her, my hearts gonna burst right out of my chest! Are you trying to kill me?! I thought we were buddies!!”. “I’m not your buddy. Now let go”. “You bastard! Asshole! Demon!!”. “Pfft!”. “Hm?”, I turn back around as I see Hina wipe a tear from her eye. “You never change, do you Takemichi-kun?”. Oh? That necklace. “Want to go somewhere? Should be easier to chat that way. I’ll drive”. “Huh?”. “Sure!”.

We were sitting in the car as Naoto drove and looked done with us. Looking into the overhead mirror, I stare at the necklace that hung around Hina’s neck. What the hell?! That’s definitely the necklace I gave her 12 years ago!! Could that mean Hina’s…. still into me?! No wait! She probably just bought one that happens to look like the necklace I gave her. Yeah! That’s gotta be it. That was close, almost celebrated too early! But… I’ll check it one more time. “Hey! Stop the car!”, demanded Hina as I was jerked forward from the pause. “What is it…?”. “Want to walk with me, Takemichi-Kun?”. Walking out, me and Hi a took a walk through the nearby park as Naoto left us alone. “This park really takes me back”, started Hina as she stared out into the sea longingly. “Did you make some memories here?” “I came here with….. someone I liked”. I felt like an arrow stabbed me at that sentence. “Oh….really?”. “On Christmas Eve”. What the hell was I so happy about? Necklace? Still into me? Makes sense though. She’s 26 now. Of course she has a boyfriend….. After all….. I’m the ex she dumped 12 years ago. “……I see. So this place is special!”. “I still haven’t forgotten him…….. On Christmas Eve…….. he broke up with me here”. I don’t wanna hear this. “Wow. I can’t believe anyone would dump you Hina”. “Why was I dumped? I still don’t get it. Tell me why……. Takemichi-Kun”, she smiled at me as tears welled up in her eyes. “Huh?”. Don’t tell me……..  “The one you loved…… the guy you can’t forget…….. I…. I gotta go to the bathroom real quick!!”, I shouted as I ran away as fast as I could. Throwing open the door, I leaned on the sink as my thoughts ran at the speed of a train. What? What?! I remember being dumped. But in this new timeline…… I dumped Hina instead?!  Does she really still love me……? There’s no way…… I can’t just sit around!! Splashing my face with the water, I look into the mirror with determination. “I gotta change! I’m gonna ask her out!!”. I expect it to go well, but that’s fine! This is a chance to change myself!! Walking out, I paused as a man stood in front of me. “Oh? You’re not in the car…. How dull”. “Talking to himself? What a weirdo….”. “Thought I’d be able to kill em all in one stroke………. Come along my pet”. My eyes widened as a person walked out from the shadows and followed the guy. He had a collar on, tattoos similar to the first guy and dressed in a an expensive dress. Wait…….. isn’t that Xeno and Hanma?! I’ve got a bad feeling. Wait……. Car? Realising that Hina was probably in the car, I ran as fast as I could but was too late, as the car got rammed by a truck. “HINA!!”.