Living A Dead Dream (Baji x OC)

45

I swear, if he hurts him too much, I'm going back on my word early, Danny mentally grumbled as she readjusted her bag on her shoulder. To her surprise, Mucho was actually letting her grab some things before they left for Yokohama. The only condition being that she only went there while he was "persuading" Kokonoi to join and that she didn't try to get ahold of anyone, not that she could anyway. The only phone numbers she had memorized were 119 and 877CASHNOW, and the latter didn't even apply to Japan.

With a heavy sigh, she crossed the street to the warehouse where they all were. Here we go... After she got inside, she headed straight for the room where Mucho said they'd be. "'M back," she said before letting out a yawn as she came through the door. 

At the sound of her voice, Takemichi's eyes widened. With what strength he had left after being beaten by Mucho, he lifted his head to look at her. "Daju... what-"

"Mm?" She looked down at his beaten figure with an uninterested expression. 

His blue eyes which were a lighter tone compared to hers that had previously been filled with conviction began to waver at the almost empty look she was giving him. What...? What's going on? He didn't understand it. Why was she here with Mucho? Why did it look like she was leaving? 

"I'm leaving, but if you even think of touching my bike, I'll kick your ass. Got it, Takemichi?"

~

Some time had passed and Takemichi was now sitting in an abandoned building with Inui as they treated their wounds.

"Hanagaki..." Inui started after a minute, catching his attention. "About your sister..."

Takemichi furrowed his brows slightly. He didn't know what was going on, but... "She's not betraying Toman," he said with a shake of his head, making Inui look from his bandaging to him. "I know her, she'd never do something like that."

He let out a quiet sigh as he finished applying the last bandage. "You may be right, but... the person I saw back there," he looked back up, locking his gaze with the younger Hanagaki, "that was the same person she was back in Black Dragon. I know you're twins, but can you say without a doubt that you know exactly what she's doing? Because it wasn't Mucho that knocked me out before he took me there, it was your sister, and I didn't get the impression she was faking it."

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it when he couldn't find the words. "I want to be the sister you can rely on. I want to be there for you. For better or for worse." "No," he shook his head as he clenched his fists, "I don't know exactly what she's doing, but I'd trust her with my life. She's changed since then. If she did something like that, she has a reason." He was sure of it. There was no way in hell that she'd leave Toman for Tenjiku, not when her friends were with Toman, and not unless she had a plan. A sudden thought struck him and he quickly felt around his pockets, making Inui give him a questioning look. "There!" he exclaimed with a gasp as he pulled out a small piece of folded paper.

"What's that?" Inui questioned as Takemichi unfolded it.

Once it was unfolded, he laid it on the concrete floor. "That's what I thought..." he muttered when he saw the familiar writing.

Inui, upon attempting to read it, just furrowed his brows as Takemichi quickly pressed buttons on his phone. "Did you guys make up a code or something?" he asked as he set the paper back down.

"Daju did. It's for a manga she's been working on. She used to use it just for notes, I think, but she gave me the translation sheet," he explained as he found the photos he had taken of the paper for emergencies like this. It took him some time, but after writing the translation onto another paper, he had the message.