𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞

CHAPTER 14 (2/2): A Three-way Foray

"Oh, just our cool new friend," the blonde cheerfully supplied. "You haven't met her yet but her name is Reiya. She can play the violin and she actually won this contest today! And then she went straight to the festival after knowing we were in trouble, and she helped in keeping Draken's wound from bleeding too much and—"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Baji interrupted incredulously. "You mean this new friend of yours showed up at the brawl?"

"Yup! And she electrocuted that jerk from the Third Division with this really cute stun gun with the Jello Kitty prints—"

Mitsuya erupted in chuckling laughter while Baji went, "A Jello what?" And then he started laughing too, making Emma smile even wider. She hadn't heard him laugh like that in so long.

"That's fuckin' nuts!" Baji hollered.

The silver-lilac-haired teen's laughter subsided and he sighed with a shake of his head. "I knew that girl was something else." He looked at his fellow captain. "You could've met her, you know. If you just went inside."

Grin disappearing, Baji scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. "And risk decking the shit out of Peh? I don't think so. I ain't got your kind of patience, Mitsuya."

"Hey, at least you're aware."

"Shut up."

Baji dealt Mitsuya with a half-hearted blow—which the latter blocked—before pausing and straightening up as if he just understood something.

"This friend of yours..." Baji started, his dubious eyes wandering towards Emma. "She plays the violin, right? Was she wearin' a white dress? Short hair? An' looks like she saves earthworms in her spare time?"

"Oh?" Mitsuya grinned as he put Baji's fist away. "So you did meet her."

"You forgot the cherry earrings but yeah, that's Reiya," Emma added with a bright smile. Then she pitched forward to hit Baji with a left-handed smack on the arm. "And did you just call Draken an earthworm!?"

"Hah?! I didn't say that!"

"Everyone."

The trio paused at the sound of Mikey's voice, the tone smooth and nonchalant, just like the smile on his face. Mitsuya's quiet laughter faded and Baji pulled away from trying to pinch Emma on the cheek. She hurriedly drew away from them, meeting her brother halfway.

"Mikey!" There were so many things she wanted to ask him; Where were you? You were with Reiya, weren't you? Where is she? Are you two okay? Are you okay?

But all of her questions fizzled down in solemn compassion when she saw a bit of redness over his nose, and some minor swelling around his eyes.

Her brother cried.

Mikey cried.

But it didn't surprise Emma as much as the post-cry aura that surrounded him now. It didn't feel heavy or apathetic, like he was trying to force something down the way he always did right after he disappears, just like that time at Shinichiro's funeral or that time after he testified in court. His smile actually felt sincere this time, maybe even a little sated, like he just had a warm snack. And seeing him this way without the dull void of misery lingering in his eyes after what could've been the second worst night of their lives comforted Emma beyond the formation of words.

He was okay.

And Emma felt, almost instinctively, that she knew exactly who to thank that for.

"Took you long enough," she remarked, trying to look stern but failing.

Mikey's smile turned sheepish. "Sorry, did you guys wait long?"