Butterfly Kisses and Flower Petal Wishes

by YozoraVal

Hanagaki Takemichi lost more than just his first love on the day he was pushed off the train platform. He lost an elder sister as well. His mission is clear, go back in time, fix the past, maybe find out why his girlfriend and sister had to die (or keep dying), and save not only Hina but his big sister as well. MikeyxOc

5. Return

It's time to return to the future with Takemichi, but do not fret... There are things going on from Meiko's side of things that have affected things for Takemichi and his future. This is just as much Takemichi's story as it is his sisters after all.

Enjoy~

---

July 9, 2005 Mikey

She had suddenly appeared before his eyes. Catching his arm, before his planned stopping point. It had sent a shiver down his spine, just feeling her touch and grip on his arm. "I don't care who you are... But don't you dare even joke about throwing a punch at my little brother while I'm around." He looked up, and deep blue met pitch black, his heart stuttered in his chest. Even without her glasses he knew, it was her.

"Ah~ There you are Ei-chan!" He smiled at the girl as Meiko threateningly tightened her grip on his arm.

Closed-eyed, his hand absently went to his forehead.

"Like I'd ever hit a girl."

She smiled and giggled, and Mikey could not help but be caught off guard by the almost innocent face she'd made."Is that so?" She had then proceeded to harshly flick Mikey's forehead.

"Ah!" Mikey yelped, feeling himself be flicked a few more times. "Hey! Stop, Ei-chan! That hurt!" He childishly whined as he covered his now red forehead.

"Good!" Meiko almost seemed to shout, as she pointed a finger in the boy's pouting face. "You deserve that after that whole bitch comment from yesterday!"

Opening his eyes Mikey still could not stop reminiscing on the other day's events. 'She's actually kinda cute when she glares.' He thought, still rubbing his forehead. 'And apparently flicks pretty hard... I wonder just how hard she can really hit.' His mind conjured the image of Meiko elbowing that one random boy the first time he and Draken saw her, and the punch she gave Kiyomasa that knocked out one of the teens' teeth. 'She probably could have broken his nose if she aimed higher.'

Suddenly his mind recounted their last conversation.

"When my big bro was alive, there were so many biker gangs around here. You could always hear their super-loud bikes as they went by. They all acted super tough. They fought all the time... But they cleaned up their own messes. What's so lame about that?"

"But that's the issue ain't it?" Meiko cuts in, making him, Takemichi, and Draken look at her. "The delinquents these days are usually total posers. They're no better than thugs praying on the weak for their own gain, like that Kiyo-what's-his-face," She'd closed her eyes, and the wind passed through their group. Mikey's heart skipped a beat once more as the setting sun reddish light bathed the girl in a warm glow as her loose bangs flew in her face. "If they were anything like the ones from your brother's time..." She'd opened her eyes and elegantly brushed away the few strands of hair from her face, "Or maybe like the two of you." Mikey felt his stomach flutter, and his body stands up more."Then maybe the term delinquents wouldn't leave such a bitter taste in people's mouths." Her words had left them shocked, so honest, so open, so... genuinely supportive.

She didn't deny Mikey's dream or words, nor did she fully agree. Mikey could see with her words, and expression, that she did not like the new age of delinquents they lived in... but that the one he'd described, the one of his brother's time, was one she could live with and even, one she associated with his and Draken's characters already. So he turned away, unable to meet the girl's deep pools of blue, and felt a blush ever so slightly color his cheeks.

"She's something else." He quietly muttered.

"Hmm, did you say something, Mikey?" Looking towards her brother as she put on her outdoor shoes, Emma stared a good few seconds before she looked over to an also starring Draken. "Why is he touching his forehead? He did that a few times last night."

Staring at the Sano male, Draken could only hum to himself as he crossed his arms. "He must be thinking about Ei."

"Ei?" Emma confusedly asked, as her brother finally looked over to them.

"It's my nickname for Meiko-chan, remember." He nonchalantly admitted, making Emma gap at him.

"Wait, you're seriously just gonna call her that?"

Mikey could only shrug, "Why not, I think it's a good name."

Sighing at her brother's laissez-faire response and manner of being, she looked back to Draken. "Okay, but what does him touching his forehead have to do with Mei–"

"Ei." Mikey cheekily cut in making his sister twitch.

"-chan." She finished glaring at the older boy, as he simply smiled smugly back at her.

"Probably cause she flicked him there a few times." Draken shrugged, as Emma whipped her head back to him.

"She what?!"

"A good three or four times I think. Caught Mikey here off guard, enough to whine at her to stop."

"That's so mean Ken-chin! Ei-chan's flicks actually hurt you know~" Mikey childish whined, as Emma openly gaped at her brother in shock.

"And you just let her do that–"

"Honestly," Draken cut in with a raised brow, "I'm more surprised you're still feeling that and not the slap Takemitchy's wifey gave you."

Mikey could only shrug, "Eh, it was a pretty good slap for sure, but Ei-chan was definitely the one to stand out more. Especially with her entrance, and the way she then jumped to defend my honor!" Mikey dramatically exclaimed near the end, before snickering. "She and her brother are definitely pretty interesting."

"She still scolded your ass for your poor taste in jokes, and the only reason she 'defended' your 'honor' was because of the misunderstanding that led to it." Draken dryly pointed out as Mikey only shrugged.

"Hey, you went along."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Emma shouted looking between the boys, " Hold up! Rewind! What joke? What slap? Who slapped you? And why did Mei-chan–"

"Ei-chan."

"Flick and scold you! And then defended your honor? I'm so confused." She moaned, holding her head.

"Well," Mikey began, "You see, it all started when..."

July 9, 2005 Meiko

Sometime after school, quietly texting as she walked through an apartment complex, Meiko quietly ate a lollipop and stared down at her phone. Still dressed in her school uniform, she had not had much of a chance to change after her usual after-school errands as she had been called over to the residence she walked to.

From Em-chan:

Did you really flick Mikey in the forehead?

To Em-chan:

If I say yes, how much trouble would I be?

From Em-chan:

None! I'd hug you! Sometimes my brother really needs to be brought down a peg you know. Especially with bad jokes like his.

To Em-chan:

Oh, I feel ya there. Michi can get a really big head sometimes.

From Em-chan:

Also, Draken mentioned, a girl slapped him!?

To Em-chan:

If by him you mean your brother, then yes. That was Hina-chan, my little brother's girlfriend. She thought Mikey and Draken were the ones getting Michi hurt, and got all protective housewife on them.

To Em-chan:

If it weren't for the fact she technically jumped to conclusions, and therefore her slap to your brother technically uncalled for... I would have been so proud...

To Em-chan:

Okay, that's a lie I'm still low-key proud.

From Em-chan:

Aw~ That's so cute and sweet! He must be really lucky to have a girl like that.

To Em-chan:

She is my future sister-law. That boy better make her his bride! I will go down with this ship!

From Em-chan:

I wanna meet her, she sounds like a really cool gal.

To Em-chan:

I'll see what I can do, though she's been a bit busy with cram school and brother as of late.

From Em-chan:

Boo! Get to it Mei-chan, don't let that girl waste her youth away studying! Let's try hanging out altogether! Oh and that other girl too you mentioned.

To Em-chan:

Kay~

Ringing the Tachibana apartment doorbell, Meiko waited patiently to be allowed in.

"Hmm, who is it? Oh! Meiko-chan!" An older woman's voice came from the doorbell's intercom.

"Hello, Tachibana-san." Meiko smiled, waving at the doorbell's camera. "Naoto-kun asked me to come over for some help, is he home?"

"Oh no! Naoto-kun hasn't come home yet from helping me with some errands."

"I see..."

"Oh, but where are my manners! Please come in! You can wait for him inside with Hina. Oh, but she does have company over. And it's a boy too. Ah~ they grow up so fast. Just give me a moment to let you inside." The Tachibana matriarch happily said as Meiko heard the familiar sounds of someone moving to open the door.

"A boy?" Meiko thought aloud, pausing as the image of her brother and Hina leaving school together flash through her mind. "Oh, she must mean Michi!"

The door opened, and Hinata's and Naoto's mother smiled as she gestured for Meiko to enter. "Make yourself at home, I was just about to bring some drinks and snacks to Hina and her friend."

Smiling at the woman, Meiko bowed respectfully. "Thank you very much." Entering inside the home and removing her shoes, Meiko looked up to the older Tachibana woman and asked. "Would you like some help with those snacks and drinks or–"

"Oh no dear it's fine, I was almost done already. Just go on ahead and join Hina and her friend. You still remember where her room is, yes?"

"Yep!" Walking away from the apartment's kitchen area, Meiko made her way further into the actual living space of the residents. Quietly walking up to Hina's bedroom, and carefully opening the door. Peeking inside she struggled not to laugh when she noticed the two sitting across from one another at the small table on Hina's floor. The girl obviously the more relaxed one between the two, while Takemichi himself looked around the room in a state of bliss and awe.

"What's wrong?"

"I've just never been in a girl's room before!"

Twitching at her brother's statement, Meiko propped herself in the doorway as she stared down at the boys. "Ah I see..."

"Gah!"

"Eak!"

The two teens exclaimed, jumping as they turned to look at the deadpanned Meiko. "It's so nice to know my brother doesn't see me as a girl."

"A-ah, Mei-nee! That... that isn't what I meant!" Takemichi exclaimed as the dark-haired girl menacingly smiled down at him.

"Oh no?" Walking fully into the room she began to pinch his cheeks and pull at them. "Then what was it that you meant?"

"It's not the same when it's your sister!" Takemichi muffledly cried, as his sister continued to pull at his cheeks.

"Ah, but I'm still a girl. And you know it doesn't seem fair just to write me off just cause I'm your big sister!"

"I'm sorry!"

Hina giggled watching the two siblings interact, "Ma, ma, Mei-senpai. I'm sure Takemichi-kun really didn't mean anything by that."

"Hina~" Takemichi almost seemed to cry tears of joy at his girlfriend's rush to his defense.

"Hmmm," Sighing, Meiko reluctantly released the bleached blonde boy's cheeks with a pout. "Fine. I guess he's safe."

"Oh thank God."

"For now."

"Seriously!"

Laughing at the siblings' banter, Hina smiled as Meiko took a seat between the two on the face of the table. "Ne, Mei-senpai, not to be rude but... why are you here?"

"I was actually wondering the same thing," Takemichi muttered, rubbing gently at his two bright red sore cheeks.

Looking to the other female, Meiko smiled, "Ah Hina-chan, I've told you it's okay if you just call me Mei-nee."

"Wait what?!" Takemichi almost yelled as the brown-haired girl blushed.

"But as for why I'm here, Naoto-kun asked me over."

"Naoto?" The teens exclaimed openly gapping at the dark-haired teen.

"Yeah, he wanted some help with some studying. Why? What's with your reactions?"

Before either teen could even respond, the current eldest of the Tachibana family, Hina's mother, came in holding a tray of snacks and drinks. "I'm so sorry for the delay. This was all so sudden, so I couldn't prepare much." Placing her hand on her face, the Tachibana matriarch began to gush over the teens. "It's a shame because this is the first time Hina's brought a boy home."

"Mama!" Hina embarrassedly exclaimed, rushing up from her seat to intercept the woman.

"Oh, don't worry about me." Takemichi politely replied as Meiko sent him a teasing look.

"Says the boy who's never said no to a free meal."

"Who says no to a free meal?!"

"He's a cutie. How long have you two been close?" Hina's mom teased, as her daughter panickedly stood in front of her. "Are you in the same class?"

"That's enough, Mom! Get out!" Hina exclaimed as she tried gently pushing the woman out of her room.

"Aw... Is he your boyfriend?"

"Mama!" Hina almost seemed to whine, as Meiko jokingly added from behind.

"He's also my brother~"

"Mei-nee!" Hina embarrassedly exclaimed looking back at the dark-haired teen flustered.

"There you go! See that wasn't so hard."

Walking past his giggling mother and looking into his sister's room confused, Naoto finally appeared to speak up. "Huh? What's with all the noise?"

"Nao-kun! Welcome home!" Meiko happily exclaimed, getting up from her seat. Quickly hugging the boy from behind, and causing him to blush as she began to lead him away. "I have quite the funny story for you!"

Hina realizing what the girl implied, reached out calling at the girl as she led her brother away, "No, Mei-nee. Wait, come back!"

"Well, it's nice to know I'm not the only one she does that to now." Takemichi quietly muttered to himself in relief, until Hina sent him an upset look with a pout. "Ah! Not that, not that I'd wish that on you Hina."

"Hmph!"

July 9, 2005 Takemichi

Later into the day, once the sun had set and the sky had become dark. Takemichi still sat across from Hina as he tried to study with her help. "Yeah, I don't get this at all."

"I explained that before." Hina patiently sighed as Takemichi nervously laughed around the pencil in his mouth.

"If it's any consolation, my sister has the same issue when it comes to helping me."

"I don't think that's actually a good thing." Hina frowned, as Takemichi dropped his head in shame.

"You're right."

"Oh, yeah." Hina then exclaimed as she recalled something, "Thanks for looking after my brother."

"Huh?"

"He said you saved him from some delinquents."

"Ah..." Takemichi exclaimed, smiling, finally realizing what she was talking about.

"Our papa is usually really busy and doesn't often come home, so Naoto hates him for that. But he suddenly started saying recently that he wants to be like him." Hina continued to say until she noticed Takemichi's confused face. "Our papa's a police officer."

Blinking in shock and awe, Takemichi slammed in a fist in his hand, "I get it! That's why Naoto became a police officer!"

"Huh?" Hina exclaimed now confused, "But he isn't though. I mean, that's still impossible, he's too young."

"R-r-r-r-right! What am I even saying?" Takemichi stuttered out laughing to himself, as Hina continued to stare at him confused. So to avoid her gaze, and maybe even shake her off his tail, Takemichi leaned back as he sat, and avoided her eyes by looking up at her ceiling. "Honestly, I wonder if he might've saved me instead."

"Huh?"

"I think he'll make a great police officer." Takemichi proudly admitted, Hina's gaze becoming soft and admiring as she rested her head in her hand to watch the boy she loved. "Though he might turn out a bit loopy, and lack maybe common sense."

"...You've changed, Takemichi-kun."

Jumping straight up in his seat, Takemichi became nervous once more, "Y-you think so? Like how?"

"Hm..." Placing her index finger underneath her bottom lip, Hina turned her gaze towards her ceiling. "You seem nicer than before. Even more open with Mei-senpai. And maybe more mature." She muttered, before smiling at the boy. "I feel like I'm talking to someone much older!"

Laughing nervously Takemichi began to rub the back of his head, "Is that so~? No way!" He denied, before panickly thinking in his mind. 'She's sharp! I'm twelve years older!'

"Or maybe that's just a side of you I never knew." Hina quietly wondered, causing Takemichi to blink in shock.

"Huh?"

Looking off to the side, Hina's eyes were filled with a warmth and longing that made even Takemichi freeze in shock. "I'd love to know more about you."

A high pitch whistle slowly rose, and then...

Boom~

"Ah! Fireworks!" Hina excitedly exclaimed as she rose from her seat. "That's right! Today's the fireworks show!" Running to her bedroom window, she pulled back the curtains and stared in awe at the lights outside before turning to smile excitedly at her boyfriend. "Hey! Let's go up to the roof and watch!"

With no real reason to deny the girl her request, the pair left her room and home, making their way up to the roof where some families and residents already were.

"Oh, look!"

"Wow!"

Hina excitedly ran towards the roof's railings, "Wow! It's so pretty!" Eyes trained to the multi-colored fireworks till she turned back to her walking boyfriend. "Hurry up, Takemichi-kun!"

'Damn... I'm really happy...' Takemichi thought as he watched his girlfriend happily stare up at the fireworks. 'This never happened in my old life.'

"Wow! A heart!" Hina exclaimed, pointing up to the pink heart-shaped explosion. "Hey, did you see that one?"

'I want to stay here forever.' He thought slowly making his way up towards the girl. 'I don't want to go back to the future. Because in the future, Hina and Meimei... are gone.' Getting to her side, he blushed as he realized they now stood so close to one another. 'I wonder if it's okay to hold her hand?' Closing his eyes he reached out to take hold of her hand. 'It's warm.' He quietly thought, smiling as he opened his eyes to turn towards the girl. "Hina..." Only to realize he was holding the hand of Naoto who now stood between the two teens confusedly. "Hm?"

"Yo!" While Meiko cheerfully smiled and greeted them from behind the younger boy. "We noticed the fireworks and I thought we could come up to watch them, to give Naoto-kun here a little break." Meiko casually explained as Takemichi continued to stare down at the younger with a lost expression.

"H-hi..." Naoto finally awkwardly replied, as Takemichi had still not released his hand.

"Naoto?" The gears of Takemichi's mind began to spin as his stomach twisted into knots.

"The handshake is the trigger."

He remembered future Naoto's theory and freaked out. "N-Naoto?!" Yelling out as he then thought 'You've gotta be kidding me!' Hearing one last firework go off before he time leaped into the future screaming.

July 9, 2005 Meiko

"Oh," Finally realizing that her brother and Meiko had joined them, Hina turned to the pair. "You two were up here, too?"

"Yeah. Mei-senpai invited me to watch the fireworks with her." Naoto explained as Meiko giggled from behind him.

"All work and no play makes Nao-kun a dull boy." She joked, causing the young dark-haired boy to blush and look up at the older girl.

"I-I'm not dull! ... Am I?"

Giggling at the boys' flushed reaction, Meiko patted the boys' head, "It's just a reference, Nao-kun. A joke."

"Oh..." Naoto embarrassingly muttered as his sister lightly laughed at her brother's flustered expression. Neither of the three teens noticing as Takemichi became a panicked mess next to them.

Laughing at the young Naoto's nervousness and his sister lightly teasing him, Meiko's smile dropped as she noticed Takemichi's form suddenly stagger from right beside them. "Michi...?" His head had dropped down, and his grasp on Naoto's hand dropped. "Takemichi?" She called out again, causing the two siblings beside her to look towards the silent blonde teen in concern.

"Takemichi-kun?"

"...Is he okay?"

Head slowly raising back up, the now real Takemichi of 2005 slowly opened his eyes. Blinking once, twice, his eyes struggled to focus on the three figures standing before him. Eye's focusing on the familiar concerned gaze of his elder sister, as he disorientedly muttered. "Mei-nee...?"

"Hey, what's wrong?" Meiko almost seemed to softly ask, reaching out towards the boy.

"Do you want to go back inside Takemichi-kun?" Hina worriedly asked, coming up beside Meiko as Naoto stepped back to allow the two girls to get close.

"Where..." Eye's narrowing, blue eyes rapidly scanned the space. Noting the rooftop they stood on, the night sky and fireworks, and most of all, having no memory of how he'd got there. Eyes widening his gaze became panicked, stepping away from the two girls who tried reaching to him, as his breathing became rapid and shallow.

'Is he having a panic attack...?' Meiko concernedly thought, as Hina once more tried to reach out to the boy. 'He's getting pale!'

"Takemi–"

He ran.

Hina gasped in shock as the boy just left without a word, "Takemichi-kun!"

"Oi!" Meiko shouted, trying to go after the boy before stopping to look back at the surprised and worried girl. "I'm so sorry! I'll go see what's going on!"

"R-right." Hina quietly muttered, unsure if she should follow as her brother comfortably placed a hand on her arm as they watched the Hanagaki's siblings both disappear into the night.

Running down the stairs, Meiko's heart hammered in her chest as the boy she chased after kept barely out of her line of sight. "Takemichi!" She yelled, barely able to keep up for once. Jumping down the final set of stairs to the ground floor as the boy ran out of the apartment building and complex. "Wait! Takemichi!" She continued to yell, pushing herself harder as the boy refused to slow down as he ran. "Hold up! What's wrong?!" She screamed, wondering what sort of sight the two of them must have made as they both struggled to weave past people still wandering the night down the street they ran. "Michi! Talk to me! What happened?!"

Feeling tears building in his eyes, the young Hanagaki could only shake his head as he ran. Pulling out his phone as he ran and saw the date and time. "July 9th?! Why?!"

"MICHI!" Meiko yelled again, and the boy's eyes slammed shut as he shut the phone and started to run harder as he realized she was closing in.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Eye twitching and noticing a crosswalk coming up ahead, Meiko's mind and body worked fast. Barely avoiding tripping mid-stop, as she moved to pull off one of her shoes before taking aim. 'Please hit!' Winding up her arm, she chucked the shoe.

Takemichi just stepped to turn the corner before the crosswalk, freezing as a pair of unfamiliar/familiar teens exited a store that sat in that corner.

"Hey, it's Takemitchy," Draken noted, staring down at the very pale and wide-eyed teen.

"Yo~" Mikey greeted mouth full, a Dorayaki in his mouth as he used his free hand to wave.

"Wha–" The younger Takemichi began to exclaim, only for his sisters' shoe to slam into the side of his head at a high force and speed. Knocking the boy out, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and the two other teens became wide-eyed as the boy dropped all but dead to the ground before them.

"Takemitchy?!"

"What the hell?!"

The two teens ran up to the passed-out boy.

"Who–?" Mikey began to ask before he and Draken looked down the path Takemichi came from. Noting a red-faced and slightly disheveled Meiko, standing on one foot, missing a shoe, her arm stretched out in a pitcher's throw.

"Whoops." She embarrassedly said, almost as if she simply spilled or knocked over a drink.

"Whoops?" Draken chimed in as Mikey held in a fit of laughter. "You just chucked your shoe at someone's head and knocked them the fuck out! What did you expect would happen?!"

"It's not my fault!" Meiko flustardly denied, "He's watched enough horror movies with me by now to know... YOU DON'T STOP WHEN YOU'RE BEING CHASED!" She shouted, looking at the knocked-down boy. Watching as he simply twitched, but did not rise up or regain consciousness. "Well damn, I guess I really did knock him the fuck out."

"Ya think?!" Draken shouted, as Mikey proceeded to just laugh his ass off at the girl's nonchalant response.

"Oh it's fine, I once dropped a door on his head."

"You did what?" Draken deadpanned at the girl's laissez-faire manner of dropping this information.

"In my defense, he knew dad was changing out our second-floor bathroom door with me as help, and shouldn't have run by me. Besides, a scar in his hairline seems like a pretty fair trade for the one he gave me on my face by making me trip into a glass coffee table when we were babies."

Draken became confused at this as he looked over the female Hanagaki's face under the street light. "You have a scar...?"

Before Meiko could reply, she felt her face suddenly grabbed once more by a pair of familiar hands. As Mikey appeared before her face, pushing up her glasses and staring at her with his almost dead black eyes. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" Meiko asked, annoyed, with a closed eye smile. 'What is with this guy and touching my face? I don't like being touched by strangers!' Meiko angrily thought, preparing to slap the boy the same way Hina did. When suddenly she was let go, as he exclaimed.

"Ah! I see it!" Mikey happily exclaimed, making Meiko's eyes go wide in shock. "It's exactly on the corner of your left eye!" Mikey noted, pointing to the corner of his own as he turned to look at Draken. "Like right here Ken-chin, you can barely see it when she closes her eyes."

Blushing at this, Meiko quickly pulled back down her glasses as she stared at the Toman leader. 'The heck? Was he really trying to see about my scar?' Meiko embarrassedly thought, shaking her head as she tried slapping her face a few times to clear the blush. 'He's probably the first person to pick it out, without me having to point it out or already knowing about where it is.' She silently thought, before moving to walk past the two teens to the still unconscious Takemichi.

"Hmm...? Something wrong Ei-chan?" Mikey curiously asked as he and Draken watch Meiko stare down at Takemichi's unconscious form with a heavy sigh.

Shaking her head, Meiko picked up the thrown shoe, pulling it back on before she stared down at her unconscious brother as she enthusiastically muttered out loud. "Heavy..." The idea she would have to carry the boy all the way home passed through her mind, 'I know I can but... He's still heavy!'

"..."

"..."

'... I need to get him home.' Meiko thought sighing, it had become obvious her brother would not be waking up anytime soon. Reaching down to start picking up her little brother, Meiko stopped as she felt a hand be placed on her shoulder.

"Oi, Ken-chin. Let's help Ei-chan carry Takemitchy home." Mikey casually said, being the one who came up beside Meiko and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from straining herself. Smiling down at the now wide-eyed girl Mikey asked, "That's okay, right?"

"You ask that after the fact?" Meiko and Draken both asked as they stared the other blonde teen down. Draken, having already moved to sling the younger Hanagaki sibling over his shoulder, as Mikey simply smiled at the two deadpanned teens.

Seeing no other way though to get her brother home safe, without overworking herself, Meiko agreed. 'I mean... It can't hurt to accept their help since they asked right?' She thought, leading the two teens towards her and her brother's home.

Unlocking their front door, she gestured for the boys to come in as she turned on the front entrance hall lights. "Our rooms are upstairs, you don't need to take off your shoes if you're not able." She excused Draken, moving further into the home to turn on more of the lights.

Looking around the home as he and Draken removed their shoes easily Mikey called out to the elder Hanagaki sibling. "Your parents out for the night, or something?"

"More like away for the month." Meiko bluntly replied, making her way up the stairs. "There's some conference in Hokkaido, and their bosses wanted them there." She simply replied, leading the two boys up to her home's second story. "It's fine, they do it all the time. Michi and I might as well be living on our own." She didn't see how the two Toman teens looked to one another, a bit shocked.

"Here we are." Opening up her brother's door, Meiko gasped as she turned on the lights. "Ugh! That brat." Marching into the room, glaring as she began to pick up the many, many, many scattered articles of clothes littered about the floor. "I told him to clean his room." She growled under her breath, Draken stepping in with the still unconscious Takemichi over his shoulder. As Mikey remained outside the room, curiously looking over at the bedroom door across from Takemichi's that bore Meiko's name on a butterfly-inspired door sign.

"Here?" Draken gestured to the bed, as Meiko glared, seeming a bit unhinged at the unmade bed.

"Yes..." She grounded out, throwing her brother's clothes into the clothes hamper she had given him just this very morning.

"Okay." Dropping the teen onto his unmade bed, Meiko and Draken both watched as the unconscious Takemichi simply remained face down on the bed. "... You sure you didn't kill him?"

"Wait for it..." Meiko whispered, then hearing her brother loudly snore as he shifted his face out of his pillow sheets. "There it is." She muttered, Draken nodding only to look around the room confused as he realized something.

"Wait... Where's Mikey?"

"Woah~ Ken-chin, check out Ei-chan's room!" Mikey excitedly called out, as both Meiko and Draken stood up straight at the boy's words.

"My room?!"

"Her room?!"

The two teens shouted, running out of the sleeping Takemichi's room to enter Meiko's angrily shouting. "Mikey!"

The blonde only grinned at the pair as he stood at the center of the lavender and blue-themed room. "It's cute."

"Mikey!" Draken angrily hissed, marching into the room to grab the shorter boy. Only to pause as he took note of some of the room's quirks. Meiko became flush and embarrassed as she now watched the two boys look around her room.

It was a simple room really, at least to Meiko, nothing too feminine or masculine. Spacious like her brother's, filled with things she'd loved or needed. Like a solid bed frame, lined with shelves and drawers for extra storage. Like her alarm clock, and mangas, and even some of her handheld games. A mass of stuffed plushies of many cute Yokai's and cryptids from around the world and a fluffy body pillow laid atop her bed.

Across from it was a horizontal black stained bookshelf, filled with foreign movies and textbooks, a simple TV sitting over top with both current and retro gaming systems with a few games on the side. A desk for studying by the bed in front of her only window framed by blackout curtains. A punching sandbag, off to the corner opposite of her bed, posters for both movies and artists scattered about her walls with butterfly stickers. Her ceiling was covered in glow-in-the-dark galaxy stickers, and lastly a full-body mirror beside her room's closet and vanity. A vanity, surprisingly enough, covered with some simple makeup, perfumes, nail polish, a small contact case, and a small music box with some small jewelry.

"Huh..." Draken muttered, "It's very..."

"Not!" Meiko snapped, glaring at the boys, "A word." She growled, pointing a finger at the two boys blushing.

"Hey, it's cool." Draken tried to awkwardly pacify the blushing girl. "It's nothing to be too embarrassed about."

"Who's embarrassed?!" Meiko snapped, angrily glaring up at the teen as Mikey looked at the banged-up sandbag. "I just don't like relative strangers invading my personal space!" It really wasn't that her room embarrassed her, or that she was even ashamed of the space. Meiko honestly could care less of what people thought of her room, it was far from childish even with the plushies, and stickers that helped make the space hers.

The wood of her furniture was all stained black, many of the posters were for foreign bands and movies. Her work desk was littered with school supplies and reference books for study. Even her vanity and body mirror were framed with photos taken from the start of middle school. Her room, if anything showed the truth of who she was. A young woman, who was still very much a kid even when she was being forced to grow up.

"I get it." Understanding where the girl seemed to be coming from, Draken bowed. "I'm sorry Mikey–"

"Woah, Ken-chin check out these movies!"

Twitching at Mikey's seeming disregard for his invasion of Meiko's space, Draken turned to snap at the teen. "Can you not right now? Can't you see she's uncomfortable thanks to your dumb ass?"

"Hmm...?" Mikey hummed, turning to look at the glaring Draken and Meiko. "Why? I thought her room was pretty cool." He casually said, "It definitely screams Ei-chan you know, cute yet unique."

Meiko began to blush at this, feeling her heart skip a beat as the boy once more called her cute. It was not a word she often had associated with her, let alone by boys. Though she was small by stature, and supposedly popular by some in regards to being confessed to. Meiko was not used to being called cute, or even openly complimented. Perhaps with Takemichi's friends, sure, but there was this understanding between the four boys and Meiko.

Unspoken as it was, that she was not necessarily someone they'd honestly consider or pursue, even if they were attracted to her. She was very much just one of the guys to them, just one who was also female and just happened to be attractive. She teased them, they teased her, they screwed up, and she'd come to either save or kick their ass. That was it.

So to have a stranger like Mikey, calling her cute from almost the start of their interaction...

Shaking her head, Meiko prepared to open her mouth to snap at the boy. Only for a loud growl, to fill the room as the two boys turned their heads to her. Her hands slowly went up to her stomach, and she laughed nervously. "Ah... I'm hungry... I forgot about dinner."

"Seriously?" Draken deadpanned as Mikey laughed at the girl's loud stomach.

"Fuck you!" Meiko snapped, "Michi ran from the place we were gonna have dinner at so we didn't get to eat, sue me!" She growled, turning to partially face away from the boy's to start biting at her thumbnail. "Now I need to figure out what to make to eat, and even if I should make some for the jerk. I mean he's passed out, and he fucked up, but I don't want to starve the dummy." She began to mutter to herself, as the two teens watched her.

'Well, that was a sudden mood change...' Draken almost sighed, before twitching to hold his head. 'And yet so familiar...' He thought, eyeing the Sano boy as he walked up to the deep in thought Meiko.

Coming up to the girl, Mikey pulled out a Dorayaki from the bag he carried. Snapping it in half much to Draken's sudden slack jaw shock, and holding the sweet pastry out for the girl to take. "Here. To hold you over till you get dinner done."

"Oh." Meiko blinked in shock, before softly smiling as she took the half pastry from the boy's hand. "Thanks..."

Nodding at the girl, Mikey half turned to the wide-eyed Draken. "Hey, Ken-chin let's go. It's getting pretty late for us too."

"Uh... Yeah." Draken muttered, watching the shorter blonde turn back to smile at Meiko.

"We'll be on our way, but let's hang out again sometime kay~"

Watching as Mikey moved to leave her room, and in turn, her house with Draken close behind. Meiko looked down at the half piece of Dorayaki before biting her bottom lip, running out her and towards the stairs to call out to the two descending teens. "Wait!" The two boys turned back to her, and she blushed shyly. Hand going to play with one of her braids as she asked, "Would you... would you like to stay and eat? You know, as payback for... helping me drag Michi home after knocking him out."

Turning to glare at Mikey and scold the teen, Draken was once more left in shock when the boy this time responded opposite of what he expected.

"Let's have a rain check." Mikey waved, "You look like you've had a long day."

'Did he just say no to free food?!'

Blinking at the boy's response, Meiko became aware of just how tired she actually felt. 'Ah! He's right...' She thought, frowning as she moved her hand to hold her slowly beginning to throb head. "Yeah... Now that you mention it..."

Smiling Mikey nodded, "Thought so~ You should just get something simple to eat and go off to bed Ei-chan."

"I guess," Meiko muttered, before staring at the boy's a bit more. Finally sighing, she made a choice. 'No use fighting it, I guess.' Reaching into her skirt pocket, she pulled out her phone and held the device out towards the boys. "Here, let's exchange numbers." She smiled, watching Mikey's eyes become wide. "I don't have either of your numbers and if we're supposed to be friends that doesn't really feel right. Besides, how else are we supposed to reschedule my dinner invite to you?" She teasingly winked at the end, causing the shorter blonde to blush as he stared at the girl's now playful speaking to them.

"Fair enough," Draken replied, first taking hold of Meiko's phone first, much to Mikey's sudden tense awareness, as the taller teen started to add on his contact and send himself a text from Meiko. "Hey, Mikey hand me your phone so I can–"

Snatching Meiko's phone from Draken's hand, Mikey turned away from the two surprised teens as he proceeded to add his own contact to Meiko's before sending himself a text with her phone and tossing the item back to the surprised girl. Looking down at the new contact's Meiko read aloud the contact names. "Ken Ryuguji and Mikey-kun... Who's Ken Ryuguji?" Meiko confusedly exclaimed.

"That's my full name..." Draken muttered before his eye twitched and he fully turned to glare at an angrily pouting Mikey. "And not what I usually go by, the fuck Mikey! You changed my name on her phone?"

"Ken-chin you idiot..." Mikey angrily continued to pout as Meiko stared at the two fully confused.

"Huh?! What did you say? What's with the sudden attitude you damn midget!"

'Okay, now I'm confused.' Meiko thought watching the two argue. 'What's with the sudden shift in attitude?'

July 9, 2017 Takemichi

"Arrrrgggghhhh!" The now twenty-six-year-old Takemichi shot up from the bed he laid upon, a medical iv attached to his arm stopping him from fully flinging himself off the bed as he cried at his misfortune.

"Takemichi-kun!" Naoto concernedly exclaimed shooting up from his own seat by his work desk to run-up to the still crying man. "You've regained consciousness!?"

"Damn it, I came back!" Takemichi whined as Naoto stopped beside his bedside.

"Huh? Does that mean you were able to go back to the past?" Naoto excitedly began to say, holding up his hand in awe. "So shaking hands really is the trigger."

Turning to glare up at older Naoto crying, Takemichi said, "What the hell were you and Mei-nee doing there, man?!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Naoto asked deadpanned, before shrugging the crying man's complaints off. "Anyway, that means my hypothesis was correct!"

"Yeah, good for you, I guess," Takemichi grumbled, covering his eyes while still crying.

"And now you're back." Sniffling at the other man's words, Takemichi looked up to Naoto, noticing the man's sudden change of tone. "I now understand everything." He seriously stated before smiling at Takemichi, "So how'd things go? You came back because something changed, right?"

Realizing what the other dark-haired male asked, Takemichi became nervous as he began to explain. "Well... I may have... sorta... accidentally shook your hand in the past..."

"You shook my hand by mistake?!" Naoto snapped clinching both of his hands into fists. "You need to take this seriously!" He yelled, as Takemichi embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry..."

Finally calming down from his annoyance at the Hanagaki male, Naoto pulled him off the iv drip he'd been on and began to discuss the new info they had learned. "There's something we know now because of your second trip into the past."

"Oh?"

Walking to one of his makeshift office's whiteboards he began to draw a diagram on the untouched board. "Your ability to time travel allows you to return exactly twelve years into the past. For example, today, you'd go back to today twelve years ago, and if you come back here after spending a week there, a week would've also passed here." He explained drawing what he was saying. "And while you were back in the past, your body was in suspended animation."

"Wait, so I was dead?" Takemichi concernedly exclaimed as Naoto began to clarify.

"It means that only your empty shell remains here in the present. Meaning you stayed in a 'death-like state.' You could think of it like a coma of sorts."

"Ah, so that's what you meant by 'suspended animation.'"

"It's very dangerous, so whenever you're going to time travel again, we'll make sure you're in my room. I've already secured the means to keep taking care of your body while you're away." Naoto explained, gesturing to the iv drip Takemichi had been originally connected to. "So how did the mission to keep Sano and Kisaki from ever meeting go?"

"Uh... Well..." Becoming nervous once more, Takemichi admitted, "I met Mikey-kun."

"Mikey?" Naoto confusedly repeated before realization hit him, "Oh, you mean Sano."

"But listen to this, Naoto!" Takemichi exclaimed, rising from his seat on the bed to walk up to the other man. "Mikey is a delinquent, but he's a really good guy!"

"Hah!?" Naoto angrily exclaimed in shock, "Why didn't you kill him?"

"Wha? Kill him?"

"The guy who killed our sister's a 'good guy'!?" He slammed his hand on his whiteboard. "Did you get tricked into believing that in the past!?"

"No! You're wro–"

"Listen!" Naoto snapped, pointing his other hand to Takemichi. "That 'Mikey' is now a man so involved in every crime imaginable! The police can't even touch him!" Naoto yelled, "If I could..." He glared down as he pulled a clenched fist to his chest. "I'd kill him with my own two hands." He shook, and unable to restrain himself any longer slammed the fist back into the whiteboard shaking it.

Noting how distraught the man had become, Takemichi moved, taking a seat on one of the man's office couches as he refused to meet his gaze before he could finally look up to him with a determined expression. "Naoto... Let's go talk to Mikey-kun."

"It's too dangerous!"

"I want to see him and talk to him in person."

"There's no point in talking to him!"

"Mikey-kun's someone we can trust! I want to hear from Mikey-kun himself about why Toman changed." Takemichi argued, standing up. "I want to know before I go back into the past again." He stared Naoto down with a determined glare, "Help me find Mikey-kun. Please, Naoto."

Staring the older man down, Naoto tried to stand his ground. Yet as he stared, he couldn't help but see the image of the adult Meiko giving him the same look overlayed with her brother's. His heart clenched at the memory of the woman, and he sighed in defeat. "I don't know what happened in the past, but you've changed, Takemichi-kun. I'm sure Mei-nee would have been proud." He muttered walking away, heading to his laptop as Takemichi followed close behind.

"Huh? You think so? Like how?" Takemichi curiously asked as the other male gave him a proud smile.

"Your weak side seems to be gone now. Well, at least a little of it."

"D-does that mean I'm cooler now?" Takemichi asked, pointing to himself anxiously.

Naoto ignored him, "Right, let's try to figure out how to meet with Mikey."

"Ne, ne? Or do you mean I'm super awesome now? Hey, come on. Don't stop there." Takemichi almost begged as Naoto sent the older boy an annoyed look.

"You get carried away far too easily." He muttered before passing him over a stack of papers. "I need you to organize these documents."

A few hours passed, and neither Naoto or Takemichi could seem to figure out a way to contact the future Mikey. As both men tackled trying to look for any information or lead through the two forms of documentation they had.

Naoto, his computer, Takemichi, the many many stacks of documents and papers Naoto had on the gang. "The Tokyo Manji Gang is crazy."

"Having said that... Mikey is careful to a frightening degree. Even the police haven't gotten any leads on him. His phone is also probably a burner that he got under a fake name." Naoto explained as he continued to scroll through the many files on his computer screen. "Hmm... Wait, who is this?" Naoto muttered as he stared at the image of a permed red-haired man wearing sunglasses.

Coming up from behind Naoto, after hearing the man's words, Takemichi began to read out the article attached to the photo. "Sendo Atsushi, part of Toman's upper echelon? That's Akkun!" Takemichi exclaimed, causing Naoto to turn to him in shock.

"Akkun? Was that one of your friends?"

"Yeah." Takemichi nodded, as Naoto felt his stomach begin to twist in knots.

"Something's not right here." He muttered, before recalling some of the information from before Takemichi's second-time leap. "If that's him, he should have been arrested for stabbing a guy named 'Kiyomizu Takamasa' from Toman when he was sixteen. He should have just been a small-time hoodlum after being released from prison."

"I was thinking about stabbing Kiyomasa-kun."

Takemichi paled, remembering how his old friend had admitted to wanting to stab the man who had tormented them. "Yeah, he said he was planning to. But he didn't, because..."

"...The past has changed?!" The two men almost shouted in unison as they turned to look at one another in shock.

"Akkun never stabbed Kiyomasa-kun, so he was never arrested." Takemichi, noted as Naoto equally now as pale as him, continued the thought process.

"You became friends with Mikey, which could mean that Sendo also..."

"...Akkun's part of Toman's upper echelon..." Takemichi muttered, the full extent of his actions in the past and how they affected the future slowly starting to dawn on him once more.

"...! I've got it." Naoto almost exclaimed, "Are you able to get a hold of Sendo?"

"Huh? Yeah... as long as his number hasn't changed."

"Since Sendo Atsushi's in the upper echelon now, you might be able to get through to Mikey!" Naoto explained, leaving Takemichi in stunned awe.

Not that long after, the two men would take a trip though. Heading to Takemichi's apartment, as the older man did not recall his friend's number off the top of his head. "Just be warned that my place is a disaster area."

Staring at the other man, Naoto could not help but become a bit nervous, though Meiko was known to be a rather organized person who maintained her home and spaces. Naoto could not help but be worried about whether or not the younger Hanagaki sibling had any actual skill or effort in maintaining their own home. "I figured as much." Though even having this in mind did little to prepare the younger man for what he would walk into. "Oh, God!" He almost jumped back into Takemichi's front door as he pinched his nose shut, "It's so dirty! How can someone actually live here!?"

"I warned you, didn't I?!" Takemichi angrily huffed, as Naoto just continued to back away from the pigsty that was the older man's home.

"No one should live like this! Mei-nee would be rolling in her grave over this!" Naoto almost hissed, as he watched Takemichi walk through the piles of trash scattered about his living space with much practice and ease.

"Hang on one sec." Reaching his closet he opened the storage space to smile towards the uncomfortable Naoto. "Believe it or not, I did keep a few things that my sister drilled into my head growing up. Like having a filing system." Suddenly much of the junk stored in his closet fell out onto him kicking up years of dust and grime, "Ow..."

Naoto became pale, and goosebumps slowly began to appear throughout his skin as the dust cloud slowly edged towards him. "I'm going to break out in hives... This dust is just... I'm going to buy some masks!" He almost hyperventilated, running out the front and accidentally kicking up some abandoned mail as he escaped the disgusting home.

"Well, hurry up!" Takemichi angrily shouted out, huffing as the door closed behind. "Jerk..." He muttered, shifted the fallen boxes and junk from his closet off him to the ground, and prepared to jump into looking for a notebook. Only to pause as he noticed a single soft pink envelope mixed with the pile of bills and junk mail that had fallen to the ground when they'd entered his home, and been kicked up by Naoto accidentally.

Crawling over to the stepped-on post, Takemichi frowned as he picked up the unique pink envelope. Flipping it over though, his heart stopped. His eyes became wide, and his face became pale. His stomach twisted into knots, and a single teardrop landed on the envelope front. "Mei...Mei..."

From Hanagaki Meiko

To Hanagaki Takemichi

He was crying. His hands shook and Takemichi quickly pocketed the pink letter, as his heart raced over what he had just found. 'This wasn't here!' He thought shakingly, 'This wasn't here before my first leap! I'm sure of it!' Trying to even his breathing he took many deep breaths, 'I've been gone for a bit, could it have come then? Some of that mail did look new. But wait, how is it that it's only here now! When was it sent, was it before she died, was it around the time she and Hina– Did it come before and I just didn't look at it? Is this another change cause of my screwing with the past?' Slamming his hand to the ground, he scrambled back to his closet. He did not know if he could handle looking at the letter right now. 'Akkun first!' He thought, 'Then Mikey! And then–' He almost bit his lip as the envelope weighed in the back of his mind. 'I'll look at it. I'll see what you sent, and go back.' He determined thought, pulling more of his junk out of the closet. 'I'll go back and save you and Hina both, Meimei!'

"I'm back." Entering the apartment once more, Naoto frowned, noticing a slight dark cloud over Takemichi's head. The older man aggressively pushing and throwing aside trash and junk as he sifted through his boxes. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah!" Takemichi almost seemed to snap, "Just... Just getting through this stuff." He almost muttered by the end, "I'll look here. Can you look over there? That notebook isn't that big, so it might be buried under something." He pointed to the small storage space where his tv sat, before continuing to sift through his things.

"... Okay." Naoto nodded, walking over towards the small entertainment set, he shuffled around some of the objects on the shelf and paused as he noticed a single framed photo hidden behind some nicknacks.

A photo of middle school Takemichi and Meiko, grinning and laughing on what might have been Takemichi's first day of Middle school as the younger Hanagaki boy struggled to carry his smaller yet older sister on his back after she had surprised him by having jumped on his back.

Naoto's heart broke, and the memory of Meiko serving him a cup of coffee flashed before his eyes. As behind her sitting on the back countertop of the cafe he sat in, was a very similar photo with the siblings posing with their friends at their childhood home, the words. "Happy Birthday Mei-nee" Written on the front, alongside the date of June 15, 2005. He looked back at the younger Hanagaki sibling and could not help but feel his pain, 'Takemichi... I know, you can save them.'

They spent a good forty minutes shuffling through Takemichi's belongings, so much so Naoto had to move on to other places in Takemichi's apartment as the older man continued sorting through the items in his closet. Naoto even found, much to his gag reflex's disgust, a moldy sock that had fungus growing off it. Tossing it aside as he muttered, "How can two siblings be so different when it comes to their own standards of hygiene." He shuddered in disgust, grateful to have also gotten gloves with his mask.

"Found it!" Takemichi exclaimed in relief, sitting up straight as he held the middle school notebook he'd been looking for. "Here it is! Whoa! This takes me back!" Flipping through the pages a bit as Naoto slowly came up from behind. "Talk about a trip down memory lane! Whoa, what's this?! Oh, hey!" He seemed to gush, flipping through more of the pages.

Naoto become frustrated and annoyed at the man's short attention, especially after having to deal with all the older man's filth. Glaring at the man as he almost threateningly growled down at the supposed older man, "Do you mind picking up the pace a little?"

"Oh, right..." Takemichi nervously stuttered out, "Akkun..." Flipping through the page, Takemichi focused till he reached the page. "Found it!" Pulling out his cellphone, he began to type in the old number. "Hopefully his number hasn't changed." Pulling the phone up to his ear, he waited alongside Naoto, listening as the phone rang and rang. 'Akkun.' Takemichi's mind wandered off to his short time in the past, and a conversation he had with his old friend.

July 7, 2005 Takemichi

"See you tomorrow."

"You boys, be safe, now."

"We will!"

"See ya!"

It was the night when he'd first met Mikey and Draken. The Mizu five and Meiko going their separate ways for the night. Takuya, Yamagishi, and Makoto went one way, Akkun, Takemichi, and Meiko the other. The group of Takemichi, his sister, and Akkun all going to a nearby bus stop and waiting for one to hopefully come.

"Hmm..." Meiko hummed looking between her phone and the bus schedule routes that were posted at the stop. "It looks like the last bus won't be here for another forty minutes. Lucky us, huh?"

"Yeah." Akkun nodded, "Um... Thanks again for spotting me tonight. I promise to pay you back Senpai."

Waving the boy off, Meiko laughed, "It's fine Akkun! Seriously, you say that everytime. If you really wanna pay me back then just do me the favor of staying out of trouble more often. I swear it's almost like you guys start to share a brain cell when you're left alone, to get into the type of trouble you do."

Laughing at the older girl's joke Akkun nodded, "Yeah... Sorry about that."

"God, my whole body hurts," Takemichi whined as Meiko sent him a half-smile.

"Yeah, well no one told you to try going all Rambo against a guy almost twice your size."

Pouting at the girl, Takemichi sent her tired glare. "Wasn't that more you?"

"Who? Me?" Meiko 'innocently' smiled pointing to herself, "I have no idea what you're talking about, I just wanted to be Batman for a bit and save my Robin."

"Why do you have to make such weird references?" Takemichi winced, as Akkun laughed at the siblings' banter.

"At least you get most of them."

"That's cause I've helped raise him well!" Meiko proudly proclaimed, puffing up her chest as she placed her hands on her hips. Her eyes soften though as she turned a more concerned gaze to her brother when she heard him even struggle to laugh due to the pain, "But... If you're still hurting when we get home, do you wanna try taking a nice warm bath in some of my Epsom salts? It'll help."

Sighing at the mere idea of such relief, Takemichi nodded, "Yes, please! I won't even complain if it's the flowery scented kind."

"Lavender it is then!" Meiko nodded, as Akkun smiled at the pair. "Though if anything I'm sure Yayoi wouldn't mind coming over to give you a quick check-up."

"Good to see you guys... getting along again."

"I know right!" Meiko exclaimed, pointing an excited finger to the red-haired boy, "It's like he's suddenly grown up!" She cheered, making Takemichi freeze in his spot. "He's not evening getting mad at me for calling him Michi, and get this. He actually did the dishes last night and this morning, without my prompt or any complaint! He's even calling me Meimei again, you know that nickname me and Ta-kun told you about from our youth."

"Woah!" Akkun teasingly exclaimed, "Way to level up Takemichi, finally chilling out when it comes to being a 'little' bro."

"S-shut up you two! You make it sound like I was bad when you know Mei-nee fricken likes to push my buttons!" Takemichi blushed as Meiko didn't even deny his claims and only laughed harder with Akkun. 'Damn it that was close! Meimei is way too sharp for her own good!' He thought looking away from the teens, 'I'll admit I was a bit of a brat back then... but I'm twelve years older! I've changed at least... a bit since back then! I mean that's why she's noticing stuff right, it only makes sense since we're siblings for her to notice' He thought, before frowning. '... Right?' Shaking his head, Takemichi refused to stay on that thought, instead turning to look at the bus stop's ceiling to try and calm his rapid thoughts. Time passed and before calling out to his best friend. "Hey, Akkun... Mei-nee... If we all graduated and went our separate ways, and totally stopped seeing each other... I wonder what we'd all talk about after we became adults."

"Huh?!" Meiko openly exclaimed, confused, "What's with that sudden negative thinking? 'Stopped seeing each other?' Uh~ Earth to Bakamichi, I'm your big sister. Graduation or not, we'd still be seeing each other." Meiko replied deadpanned, as she lightly knocked on the blonde's head. "Seriously, you sure you weren't concussed back there."

Smiling at the elder Hanagaki's words Akkun could not help but agree, "You dumbass. Senpai's right, nothing would change. Not for you two, or even for us. We're friends for life." Akkun confidently said smiling as Meiko stood straight up with pride.

July 9, 2017 Takemichi

Takemichi couldn't help but smile at the memory, finding comfort and peace in the moment. Till the other line finally picked up on his phone. "Hello...?"

Takemichi's mouth went dry, and his stomach knotted into a pretzel. "... A... Akkun?"

"... Take... michi?"

Takemichi smiled bright, hope ignited in his veins. Looking up to the wide-eyed Naoto who waited with bated breaths, and nodded. It was him... They'd contacted Akkun.

Less than an hour later, the pair of Naoto and Takemichi would now stand before an establishment within the red light district of Shibuya, a club of sorts, owned by the Tokyo Manji Gang.

"This is where Sendo is? He told you to come here?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he's running this hostess bar." Takemichi explained as Naoto sent the smiling man an unamused glare.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to just show up here? Sendo's one of the higher-ups at Toman now." He seriously warned though Takemichi was undeterred.

"And none of that matters because Akkun is just Akkun." Takemichi confidently declared, his smile never leaving his face even as he looked up at the building before them. "I mean, he sounded a little older over the phone, but otherwise, he hadn't changed."

Frowning Naoto could not help but stare at the ground, "I'm concerned that you just came out and told him you wanted to see Mikey."

"Why?" Takemichi honestly asked, confused.

"You're being too frank. He's someone the police can't get close to. We might've come here just to get killed." Naoto cautiously warned.

"Wow, you're dumb, Naoto! It takes more than that to change a friendship!" Takemichi laughed, causing Naoto to twitch annoyed. "Come on and just follow me!" Takemichi confidently exclaimed, marching into the hostess establishment. Only to freeze up, once he was confronted by the row of beautiful hostesses and the high-end decor that lay just beyond the door.

"Welcome! Who will it be?" A doorman politely asked, standing opposite to the girls as he'd greeted Takemichi.

"Huh? U-um..." Takemichi became a stuttering and almost blushing mess at this.

Naoto coming up from behind him and asks him with a deadpan stare, "Are you going to be alright?"

Still highly nervous but unwilling to back down, Takemichi went up to the man who'd greeted them and began to explain. "I-I've got an appointment with Sendo-san."

"What? You? With our boss?" The man openly questioned, not believing Takemichi. Takemichi nodded rapidly at this though, so the man called into his earpiece to confirm his claims. "Hey, some twerp is here. Does the boss have any appointments?" Takemichi sighed in relief, and Naoto who still stood quietly behind the man could not help but try to stifle a laugh. The shift between overly confident to nervous wreck far more amusing than the younger man would have ever thought.

Suddenly the doorman's posture shot up, still listening to his earpiece as he got a response. Then, he suddenly turned, slouching his body and rubbing his hands. His tone and voice even changed as he began to basically kiss up to Takemichi. "Goodness! You should've just told me earlier, Hanagaki-san! I would've let you right in if you'd just told me you were the boss's friend!" He exclaimed, making Takemichi and Naoto blink in shock at his sudden 180. "Two VIPs coming through!" The man yelled, gesturing for Naoto and Takemichi to follow before walking ahead.

"He's totally mocking me, isn't he?!" Takemichi angrily cried, pointing after the man as he looked to Naoto.

"Nah, of course not." Naoto sarcastically replied with a straight face. The two men following close behind only then, as they were led to a private area to be seated.

Drinks were served, and Takemichi took it upon himself to actually partake of the free beverage. Though his hand shook as he held the amber drink in hand.

"Your hand is shaking, Takemichi-kun." Naoto noted aloud, as he stared the trembling man down.

"I ain't scared!" Takemichi tried to deny, even going so far as to give himself a pep talk in his mind. 'It's okay. No matter how different he looks... No matter how important he is now...' He tried to calm himself, now having to hold the drink with both hands even as he continued to tremble more. "Akkun will always be Akkun!"

"You're shriveling up." Naoto sympathetically sighed, feeling a bit bad for the man's failing efforts to remain calm after his initial gusto.

"Takemichi..." At the sudden call of his name, by a deep, yet familiar voice, Takemichi set down his drink and quickly shot up in his seat to stand up. "Behind you, genius." Slowly turning around Takemichi stared, as he eyes landed on the shaven, tattooed, and obviously haggard form of one Sendou Atsushi... the adult Akkun. "You haven't changed a bit, Takemichi."

"...Akkun?"

Akkun chuckled at his old friend's surprised tone, "Didn't recognize me without my pompadour, huh?"

"Uh, yeah..."

"Senpai used to joke that might be the case if we ever met up." Takemichi and Naoto's eyes became wide at the plum red-haired man's words.

'Meimei!?'

'He was still in contact with Mei-nee?'

"I was gonna say something earlier, but it's been so long." Akkun admitted nostalgically before bowing his head, "Especially now with Senpai gone... I'm sorry for your loss, you have my... Condolences." Akkun trailed off sadly, Naoto's hands curling into fists as he glared at the man.

'As if you have any right!' He angrily thought, 'It was your group that killed her and my sister!' He wanted to shout, biting his tongue as he had sworn to let Takemichi handle this.

Noting his old friend's saddened tone Takemichi could not help but stare sympathetically. 'It's really Akkun. He looks totally different, but it's definitely Akkun!' He thought before, smiling at the man. "Yeah... I... Thanks... for your condolences."

"She didn't deserve to die so young." Akkun bitterly muttered, catching both Takemichi and Naoto off guard. "I really am sorry for her loss... The world's a darker place without her..." He eyed Naoto with guilt from the corner of his eye. "And Tachibana-san."

Naoto's stomach knotted, both his and Takemichi eyes shooting a glance to one another as they pondered over Akkun's words. Did he recognize Naoto? Was he still in contact with Hina before her death, like he implied with Meiko? So many things had suddenly come to light, and the two men did not know what to do with this sudden drop of information.

"So you wanna see Mikey-san, right?" Akkun had suddenly changed tones, looking up at Takemichi with a tired smile as he said. "I've been waiting all this time for you to show up, Takemichi."

"...What do you mean?" Takemichi struggled to not stutter out, watching as Akkun simply continued to smile before standing from his seat.

"Let's go talk outside." Walking up to the two males, Akkun now only kept his gaze directly to Takemichi. "Just the two of us. You good with that?" He looked to Naoto at this.

Seeing a deep sadness, and perhaps even guilt, Naoto could only nod. Watching as Akkun started to walk away, before turning to Takemichi. "I'll wait here."

"Okay." Takemichi nodded, moving to follow Akkun.

"Be careful." Naoto still warned, unsure why, but feeling a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach as he watched Takemichi follow after the red-haired man.

"It's all good. There's nothing to worry about." Takemichi reassured, turning and leaving the younger man behind as he followed after his old friend.

"... God, I hope you're right," Naoto muttered to himself, becoming lost in thought as he wondered. 'If Mei-nee was still in contact with Sendo-san before she died... Does that mean... She had connections with Toman... That led to her and Hina's death?'

Stepping out onto the rooftop of Akkun's bar, Takemichi found himself being suddenly pulled close as Akkun threw his arm over his shoulder. "How've you been, Takemichi?!"

"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts, Akkun!" Takemichi shouted in pain, as the grip of Akkun's arm actually almost strangled him.

Akkun only laughed though, "I'm just so happy to see you after so long! It's been years!" He happily said, bringing Takemichi towards the edge that overlooked the town before letting him go. "Have seen you since middle school, right?"

Rubbing his now sore neck, Takemichi smiled nervously, "...Yeah. Almost ten years since we last saw each other, Akkun."

"..." Frowning Akkun stared at the surviving Hanagaki sibling but did nothing to further question Takemichi as he instead decided to go down memory lane. "It's funny. You remember when–" Recounting a tale from their childhood, he watched as Takemichi's nervous posture relaxed as he listened. Even smiling nostalgically and laughing at certain parts until.

"Oh yeah! And Yamagishi ruined the mood with a huge fart."

"Yeah! And when I looked so awesome, too. Senpai really handed our asses to us then."

Laughing at the man's words, Takemichi said, "Akkun, you were so lame. Of course, that big speech wasn't gonna do shit to calm Meimei down, we should have just ran like Takuya recommended!" Takemichi laughed, holding tightly onto his stomach, never noticing the slight glint to pass through Akkun's eyes as he noted Takemichi's choice of name when referring to his sister. "Haah! ... But man, Akkun, you sure are amazing now!" Takemichi sighed looking up at the sky. "You're the owner of a huge hostess club like this one and you're in Toman's upper echelon, right?"

Frowning Akkun refused to meet Takemichi's gaze, "Yeah."

"You've got an expensive car, expensive clothes, and you get to screw the best ladies. You're basically on a different planet than me." Takemichi couldn't help but praise, feeling a bit envious.

Akkun, though, found no pleasure in Takemichi's words and turned his back to the other male. "It's all because I know how to get my hands on money... But... You can't buy everything with money." His hands tighten into fists within his pocket.

"Man, I hope I can say something like that someday."

"The guy who came along with you is a cop isn't he?" Akkun suddenly asked, causing Takemichi to freeze up a bit.

"Huh, um..."

"It's alright, you don't have to hide it. It's completely obvious." Akkun bluntly replied, "He's Tachibana Hinata's younger brother, isn't he?" Takemichi's eyes had gone wide as Akkun put two and two together. "I had no idea she had a brother, though I probably should have realized it with how Senpai had his picture with Tachibana's posted on her wall alongside ours."

"How do you know that?" Takemichi nervously asked, watching as Akkun fell silent before finally responding as he turned back to him.

"That's just the kind of organization the Tokyo Manji Gang is." He seriously admitted, watching as Takemichi's mouth seemed to have gone dry as he tried swallowing. "Hey, do you remember the summer of our second year in middle school? The day you defied Kiyomasa-kun. After everyone went home, you asked senpai and me this... What would we talk about after we all went our separate ways, and then met up again as adults?" Akkun's mind pictured the talk clearly in his sorrow-filled mind.

"Yeah, I remember that!" Takemichi happily exclaimed, smiling, believing this was proof of his faith in Akkun and his friendship.

"Well, what do you think about this conversation...?" Akkun began, "The person who pushed you onto the tracks..." He looked Takemichi directly in the eyes, "was me."

"..." Takemichi's eyes went wide, and the wind howled as it moved by. Takemichi's stomach knotted up as he muttered, "What?"

"It should've killed you." Akkun's mind replayed the way he pushed Takemichi's down onto the tracks. "But someone saved you." He remembered Naoto suddenly appearing on the scene and reaching out for Takemichi. "It was Tachibana Naoto!" He almost yelled, recalling how the man just barely saved Takemichi from his untimely demise. "When it happened, it looked like he knew you were gonna fall onto the tracks. This probably sounds insane... But could you by chance... be able to return to the past, Takemichi?" Takemichi flinched back at this surprised at his friend's deduction. "Didn't you ask Tachibana Naoto from the past to help you? That's it, right?" He almost shouted desperately, throwing out his hands. "Otherwise it just doesn't make sense! There's no way anyone could've saved you without knowing that was going to happen!" He finally yelled, grabbing Takemichi's shoulders tightly and began to shake the shorter man. "Right? It'd be insane otherwise, wouldn't it!? Wouldn't it!? That's why you were acting off back then, right!"

Slapping Akkun's hands away, Takemichi snapped at his friend. "Stop it! Who's the crazy one here?! The hell are you talking about, Akkun?! This isn't like you, man!" He yelled, "You were always calm and collected. You were always willing to put your friends first." He remembered their talk about him almost stabbing Kiyomasa. "You were kind... reliable..." He clenched his hands into fists and began to shake. "That's... That's why..." Tears started to fall from his eyes, "It has to be a lie!" He sobbed, "There's no way you would kill me! Or just stand by and watch Meimei die! You're our friend!" He cried out, trying to whip away his tears with his arms.

Unable to watch the man cry, and overcome with grief and guilt Akkun turned away from the crying man. "Takemichi..." Tears filled his eyes, as he looked up at the night sky. "I wonder how things ended up like this." He almost sobbed as Takemichi looked up at him in shock. "I'm one of Kisaki's men now."

"Kisaki? You mean Kisaki Tetta?" Takemichi almost exclaimed, taking a step towards his crying friend.

"Everyone in Toman has to obey Kisaki. I haven't even seen Mikey-kun in years." He almost sobbed, holding his arms open towards the city night.

"... Akkun... It's not too late!" Takemichi tried to say, "Just leave Toman!"

"I can't." Akkun laughed, crying, grabbing tightly onto his tattooed arms to hold himself. "I'm scared. I'm terrified of Kisaki with every fiber of my being."

"Akkun..."

A cold silence passed between the two men. Akkun looked down at his feet as he held himself in pain, as Takemichi helplessly watched the grown man suffer in silence. "Takemichi... Mikey changed after Draken died."

"What?" Takemichi gasped, "Draken died?!"

Looking back at Takemichi, Akkun frowned. "He wasn't supposed to die. Draken shouldn't have died, but he did," Akkun explained, slowly climbing onto the roof's edge. "And now here I am thriving off of dirty money." He stared out at the open city, "I always looked up to you. The way you'd be crying, but hold your ground. Senpai... no... Meiko... She was always standing strong even after all these years." He muttered, "Even after you left, even though she was sad and suffering. She always stayed true to who she was, and still accepted my sorry ass in her life..." He recounted letting the night breeze pass through him. "Takemichi... When you left... I swore that I would look out for her in your place... I'm sorry, I couldn't protect her till the end. I failed you both."

"Akkun?" Takemichi almost cried once more, heart racing as his stomach knotted.

"Is the one you want to go back into the past and save... is 'them', right?"

"It's dangerous up there. Get down." Takemichi nervously called out.

"That's some real love right there." He laughed bitterly at this. "I'm rooting for you, Takemichi." He turned, giving his one friend a final tear-filled smile. "Please save everyone..."

"Akkun!"

"Our crybaby hero."

"Don't do it, Akkun!"

He jumped, and Takemichi's hand shot out as he screamed. "AKKUN!" followed by the sickening sound of a thud.

Takemichi felt his lungs constrain, and his heart pounded rapidly in his chest. The tears sat in the corner of his eyes struggling to fall, as Takemichi struggled to steady himself as he shuffled to the edge. Peering over, his pupils shrunk, and blood ran cold. His best friend, Akkun, lying dead on the street, with blood splattered around his head, and his limbs twisted unnaturally. His breathing accelerated as he fell back away from the edge, staring off into space, as his throat slowly closed, and the shocking realization of what had occurred finally set in and his tears finally fell down his face.

"AAAAAAAAAAGH!" He screamed and wailed into the night. His friend is now dead, just like his sister, just like Hina, and he was made to watch it. He was made to witness it, he was helpless to save Akkun.

By the time police had arrived, and Akkun's death was confirmed on the scene, Naoto and Takemichi had been reunited, and led aside by the responding officers.

"I'm sorry, but could you give him some time?" Naoto desperately asked his fellow officers. They stood in an alley by Akkun's former workplace, Takemichi seated quietly on a set of stairs, hunched over in grief, and silent tears. As Naoto handled the police and other matters to try and give the older man at least some time to grieve in peace. "Just... Leave him alone for now."

"It's fine." Takemichi hollowly muttered, "They want to talk to me, don't they?"

Frowning at the man's words, Naoto made his way to his side. Gently resting his hand upon the mourning man's back in comfort, as he quietly whispered. "Takemichi-kun... Please don't push yourself. You should get some rest. I'm sure Mei-nee... and Sendo would have wanted that." He tried comforting the older man.

"... Naoto..." Takemichi began, "I need you to find out about the day Ryuguji Ken died."

"What?" Naoto gasped, watching as Takemichi tightened his grip on his arm as he shook where he sat.

"The one who turned Toman evil is Kisaki Tetta." Takemichi almost seemed to growl choking up, causing Naoto to flinch back in shock and concern. "Naoto, I want... Draken, Akkun..." He sobbed, struggling to speak, "And Hina and Meimei!" He cried, "I want to save all of them!"