𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐝 - s. ᴍᴀɴᴊɪʀᴏ

𝟎𝟏𝟐: 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

"Headed to cram school?" You slip your indoor shoes off, swapping them for your outdoor shoes inside your locker.

"Yup," Hina answers happily, "I think I finally know what I want to do in the future." You look at her curiously, "What's that?"

"A teacher," she answers. You smile, seeing that it was a very fitting profession for her to choose. The two of you walked out, you told her you'd walk her, and since it was by the shopping district, you'd be able to pick up some food to take home.

You and Hina exit the school gates. "Takemichi still being an ass?" You spark conversation.

"No actually," she replied, surprising you. You realized he went back to the future when he acted like you two weren't acquainted. After the August 3rd incident, younger delinquents began looking up to him. Praising him every time he passed by. The real 14-year-old Takemichi reacted worse than the 26-year-old.

"He's different again. He's mature," Hina followed up. You question why he'd even come back. Didn't the future change after Draken survived?

"Weird, isn't he?" You joke. She giggles, "It's almost like he aged by 10 years, haha."

Twelve, actually, but she doesn't know that, you think to yourself.

You wave Hina goodbye as she enters her cram school building. As you were on your way back, thinking of what you should order for takeout, you see a familiar blonde following someone. He wore a Mizo Middle School uniform and had blond highlights in his hair. You wonder if Takemichi made, yet another, strange delinquent friend.

You found yourself following them, having a strange gut feeling. You crouch behind a vending machine nearby, you can barely make out what they were talking about but you see them enter an arcade that had closed down years ago.

Quietly, you approach the run-down building. It was covered in graffiti and a "do not enter" sign was present at the front door. You peek through the glass entrance and there was a crowd of men in white jackets. All with the same headless angel logo you saw painted at the front.

After almost being noticed, you quickly leave the area. Walking as fast as you can. You wonder what has happened in the future for Takemichi to come back and what business he's doing with another gang.

-

You get a loud banging on your door, making you almost drop the chips you were eating. You get up, annoyed at the noise, to open it.

Takemichi, both his hands up in a fist, was breathing rapidly. "You couldn't knock civilly?!" You say, your volume louder than usual. He apologizes and you let him in. Taking off his shoes, you can tell he was thinking of what to say, clearly wanting to let something off his chest.

"You good?" You start, hoping he'd spit out whatever he's about to say already.

"HINASTILLDIEDAKKUNSAIDTHESAMETHINGSFROMLASTTIMEYOUANDNAOTOAREROMANTICALLYINVOLVEDKISAKIJOINEDTOMANANDINEEDTOBRINGBAJIBACKORMIKEYSGONNAKILLME!!!"

"WHAT?!" You couldn't comprehend a single word he said. You didn't even know if he said that in Japanese.

"HINASTILLDIEDAKKUNSAIDTHESAMETHINGSFROMLASTTIMEYOUANDNAOTOAREROMANTICALLYINVOLVEDKISAKIJOINEDTOMANANDINEEDTOBRINGBAJIBACKORMIKEYSGONNAKILLME!!!" He repeats with the same pace.

You look at him, visibly confused, as he huffs and puffs. "Hold on," he says breathlessly, hunching over, trying to regulate his breathing. You try to repeat what he had told you in your mind.

"Akkun and Naoto are romantically joined in Toman and Mikey's gonna kill you...?" You interpret, the boy looks at you quizzically, as if he wasn't the confusing one.