Welcome to our first chapter of all original content. May you all enjoy the flower lesson, the future Mikey cameo (we have been robbed seeing more of this version of him and I wish to somewhat correct that if possible), and more~ Enjoy. Merry Christmas~
July 10, 2017 Naoto
Entering his apartment, Naoto looked back at the still distraught Takemichi. It had been a good two hours since his friend Akkun committed suicide, and they had only now been able to return to his apartment space after Takemichi had willingly gone to be questioned by the police. In that time Naoto had collected what records he could from the police database over various Toman-related events of twelve years ago. Unfortunately, there was more than he'd have imagined and Naoto knew he would have to shuffle through the many articles and reports if he wanted to find the right information on Draken and his demise.
Looking outside his window though, he noted the sun beginning to rise and sighed. Turning back to the silent Takemichi he said, "The sun's coming up, we should probably get some sleep and try to… collect ourselves." He closed the blinds to his living room, "It's… been a long night. You okay with sleeping in the office?"
Shrugging Takemichi could only laugh hollowly, "Yeah… That's fine, I was already doing it before." He muttered smiling, shuffling past the concerned Naoto as he slowly made his way to the room.
Naoto hesitated, unsure what he could do or say to the wounded man. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before calling out to the man. "... Takemichi-kun!" The man stopped right outside the office door. "If… if there is anything that you need. Please," Naoto emphasized. "Don't hesitate to ask…Even if… it's just to talk."
"... Thanks Naoto, I'll… I'll let you know if I do." Takemichi sorrowfully smiled, turning to enter the room only to be stopped once more.
"Takemichi-kun, one more thing."
"...Yes?"
"... I'm sorry for Sendos death." Naoto sympathetically added, even when he himself still could not tell if should be upset at the deceased man who allowed himself to become a pawn of one of his sister's and Meiko's killers. Or upset to have learned that in the end, the man was just as much a victim to Toman's evil as the two women Takemichi and he desperately wanted to save.
"... Goodnight Naoto." Takemichi simply entered his room then, closing the door shut before leaning against the wood door. Slowly reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a familiar crumpled pink envelope. '... It's now or never.'
June 28, 2017 Meiko
Before Takemichi started leaping before he began to alter the events of the past to change the future. A certain Hanagaki sibling had spent her final days before death, contemplative and nostalgic.
Sitting silently in the darkness at her apartment's kitchen countertop bar, the twenty-seven-year-old Meiko stared blankly at the finished sheet of paper before her. Her only source of light being a small kitchen light that was directed above the bar. Absently she twirled her pencil in her dominant hand, her second lying motionless on her lap touching her flat stomach.
A pair of arms slowly wrapped around her, pulling the older woman close to the male's chest as the blonde-haired figure softly began to caress her neck with his lips. Chuckling at the man's caress she laid her pencil down and moved her hands to touch the arms that held her. "...What are you doing?"
The man hummed, "Me…? I'm simply trying to draw my woman back to 'our' bed, where she belongs." The man tiredly muttered, burying his face into her neck. "With me."
"My, my~ You're being extra clingy tonight." Meiko teasingly muttered, nestling herself more into the man's arms. "However do you sleep without me to warm your bed when you go away, Manjiro."
The man, the adult Sano Manjiro, Mikey, of the Tokyo Manji Gang smirked as he only held her closer. "Who says I do?"
She lightly flicked him on his head, sighing as she quietly muttered, "That isn't good Manjiro. You overwork enough as is, so please take care of yourself."
Chuckling Mikey could only tighten his grip on Meiko's form, "That's why I have you isn't it." Burying his face in her shoulder, he laid down a few more kisses. "You… are my home… my light… and the one last good I have left in this world…" Meiko shivered, as she felt her lover's hands move to caress her arms. Mikey's eyes becoming much darker and hollow as he muttered. "If anything ever happened to you—"
She turned in her seat and quickly caught the gang leader's face in her hands, looking up to him as she softly shushed him. "Shhh~ Hey, don't start with that," Meiko whispered, pulling the taller man's face close to touch foreheads. "Nothing bad is going to happen to me… To 'us'!" Meiko tried to reassure. "You have to have faith that things will be okay. Especially with recent events, we're supposed to be happy Manjiro. Even with all these obstacles, we're still finding our own happiness." She nuzzled his nose lovingly, "So don't let worry and other people ruin it for us… for you."
Softly smiling at his lover's words, Mikey pulled her into a kiss. Holding her in place for a solid few seconds before pulling away. "I love you."
"I love you too." Meiko smiled back.
Looking over his lover's smaller frame, Mikey's smile dropped, and a look of anger briefly flashed through his face. "Is that the letter for 'him'." He almost seemed to hiss at the mention of the person Meiko wrote to. An obvious dislike was on full display, as his eyes became apathetic and cold looking over the letter he knew his lover had poured her heart, soul, and tears into over the past few days since first attempting to write the offending message.
Frowning at the man's words and looking, Meiko slightly pulled away from his touch to grab hold of the letter. "Please don't start Manjiro. He's my brother."
"He abandoned you!" Mikey almost growled, "Ran away like a coward with his tail between his legs and left you all alone!" He glared while looking at her– not at her precisely, no, never at her– but at the phantom of a man, he knew used to resemble his love in many ways from the old photos she still carried from her youth. He glared at the phantom that was Hanagaki Takemichi, the brother who ran away and left his poor sister behind with a shattered heart. "If I ever met this asshole face to face, I'd—"
"Mikey please!" Meiko begged, placing a desperate hand on his tensed arms. "I know you don't like what Michi did, but he's still my family!" She steadfastly declared, rising from her seat.
"He hurt you." Mikey seriously stated as Meiko wet her dry lips.
"Siblings do that all the time!"
"Not like that!" Mikey snapped, making the dark-haired woman jump back, his eyes widen realizing he'd raised his voice to her. Softening his gaze he tried to redeem himself, "That bastard left you over ten years ago, he never even contacted you in all these years. Everything that you've told me about that 'brother' of yours has only ever made it seem like he never appreciated you with the way he just up and left." He sighed, "Siblings… Siblings should never hurt one another like that. " His eyes became glazed as the memories of his past still haunted his very present.
Trying not to cry from frustration, Meiko bit her lower lip as had to hold her head. "I know… I know…" She muttered, "But he's still my Michi! My little brother." Meiko sighed, before looking up to Mikey directly in his eyes. "People make mistakes, all the time, especially as kids! And I know him–"
"You mean knew, people change Mei–"
Shaking her head, she grabbed the paper off her counter and began to fold the letter. "I know Takemichi." She firmly declared, looking back to her lover to give a scolding glare. "He's reckless and stupid at the best of times, he struggles to just open up about his own problems. Even when he's quick to let himself be dragged into others' messes, he was a fool at times sure but he was still loyal and reliable. He's my brother damnit!" She said becoming more frustrated as she spoke. Mikey's own eyes become conflicted and sad hearing the way she spoke of the absent Takemichi.
"He's just lost! He's been lost for the past ten years… no, maybe even longer…" She almost growled, tears finally escaping her eyes as she tried to whip them away. "Please… I… I'm not asking you to agree with my choices," Meiko finally grounded out hugging herself as she cried, "But you don't get to question them. Not when you won't even let me question yours." She glared through tear-stained eyes, "... I've loved and supported you for years now…" She smiled mournfully, "And you've always done the same. So please, if nothing else. For my sake, for 'theirs'." Her hand slightly shifted to caress her stomach. "Let me at least try to reclaim part of my family… Just like you would if you could."
"..."
There was a long stretch of silence between the lovers, Meiko silently crying as she held herself while Mikey's dark coal eyes bore into her crying form. He sighed in the end, running his hands through his long hair, pushing the strands out of the way of the dragon tattoo that decorated his neck, in memory of his late friend.
"Okay."
Meiko's eyes widened, "...Okay…?"
"Okay." Mikey nodded almost apathetically.
"Oh Manjiro I–" She was cut off when he raised a hand in a gesture to stop.
"On one condition." He clarified making Meiko smile drop as she stood straighter glaring at him.
"... Go on."
"One-shot," Mikey started, emphasizing his point by holding up a single finger. "He gets one-shot to not fuck this up. If that bastard doesn't even respond or turns you away, or–"
Meiko's form slouched as she realized what he implied, "I understand."
He frowned though, feeling no joy in having her deflate the way she did. "Mei–"
"And I agree." Mikey's eyes became wide, as he was met by Meiko's sadden blue ones. "I agree." She repeated, holding herself tightly. "I… I can't keep hoping, and waiting for that dummy to finally reach out to me." Her hands dug into her arms, "I can't… fix what doesn't want to be fixed." Tears silently ran anew, "I can't be the be-all and end all corrector of our issues." She smiled tearfully, "If he… if really wants no part of my life. In 'theirs'... He'll still be my brother but… I can't keep waiting for him on the wings to let me in… I'm ready to move on."
Walking towards Meiko, Mikey gently brushed away her tears and stared deeply into her tired eyes. "Does this mean…? You finally say yes."
She smiled, "Yeah… It's a yes." She opened herself to his touch, "I'm ready to be yours." Meiko muttered, "I'm ready to have a family again, even if it's just us."
July 11, 2017 Naoto
It was raining the next day.
"Hey, Naoto…"
"Hmm." The man barely looked away from his laptop.
"Do you know… Where Mei-nee… is buried?"
Naoto's eyes became wide, turning in his seat to look back at the still somewhat quiet Takemichi as he absently stared down at the meal Naoto had ordered for themselves. "... You mean her grave?" Naoto asked, unsure what else to say. Since his sister's and Meiko's demise, Naoto had not visited the two girls' graves. Not since he and Takemichi reunited and his abilities were confirmed to them, visiting would do nothing but sour their motivation, and the two men were working to prevent their demise. So the fact Takemichi had asked at all now, was a shock to the younger male. "Are you wanting to go…" He trailed off, unsure on how to word his next words.
"Yeah…" Takemichi muttered, putting the untouched meal aside. "I… I have to go see her." He quietly explained.
"But why?" Naoto questioned, "Why now?"
Reaching under his makeshift bed's pillow, Takemichi pulled out a familiar crumpled-up sheet of paper. Rising from his seat to walk over and hand Naoto the sheet, as he sighed. "Cause… I got this letter when we went to my place. It's dated just a few days before Mei-nee died." Takemichi explained, leaning against Naoto's desk as the other man looked over the letter in shock.
Happy Birthday, Michi,
Or perhaps I should be calling you Takemichi? You really didn't like the whole Michi nickname during our last few years together. But, surprise! It's me, your girl, your overly annoying big sister Meimei! I mean, Meiko. You still celebrate our birthday right? I mean it is our birthday, you know you still owe for the first, and definitely more now. You're twenty-six now right, I mean, of course, you are, you're only a year younger but who knows maybe you've lost count to avoid hitting thirty. God this is weird. Writing this to you, maybe I should be typing this? I thought it felt more sincere by hand, but god knows if my chicken scratch is still readable to you after all these years. So, how have you been? I bet you got a bit taller, maybe you're finally good-looking? Have you finally gotten a sense of fashion, or is that still crap? Are you still dying your hair or have you finally decided to go all-natural? Maybe you've got your shit together.
There was a gap in the page that showed aggressive erasure as if she had written something and found it so bad that she had to erase its existence even if it smudged and almost ruined the page. The fact the letter was still written on this page was perhaps a way of showing her desire to express her struggle when writing the letter.
That last part was a joke! So, it's been over ten years. I gotta say it's been a heck of an adjustment, not having you around. It's sorta been weird, cooking for only one, cleaning for only one. Gotta say the house was
Naoto could only imagine the amount of pausing Meiko had probably had to have done when writing this. Though he had been young at the time, Naoto still recalled the way his sister would worry over the remaining Hanagaki siblings after Takemichi left. It did not matter that Hina and him were no longer dating, Hina and Meiko had still remained friends. So much so that Naoto would honestly admit that the girl had become a somewhat extension of their own family with how often Hina would bring her along.
really quiet without you around, and the messes are more scarce. Never knew I'd miss fighting with you over picking up your shit but hey I've been shocked by less. I've missed you. Like a lot, a lot. If I'm being honest. I keep wondering where it all went wrong, why you suddenly left and ghosted us all. Mom and Dad were beside themselves, not that they really had any right to be. I just wish I understood why. Was I too overbearing? Were you scared about the future? Was your and Hina's break up worse than either you let on? Why did you guys even break up? Why wouldn't you talk to me, and let me in? Why did you start shutting Akkun and the guys out? Why'd you leave them? Hina? Mom and dad? Why did you leave me?
Naoto could only wince as by this sentence dried up tear stains began to appear upon the letter. Letting him know that either one or both of the siblings had begun crying by this point of the letter… and he didn't know who he wished it on less.
It's been a question that's haunted my mind over the years. Maybe you felt unappreciated, maybe I wasn't around enough, or was there too much. Maybe I just wasn't good enough, to replace the absent love and attention of our parents. Maybe I just wasn't what you wanted or needed. I used to think, you'd come home on your own. I used to think I could just wait and you'd come back to me. Open up to me, be a family with me again. I'm starting to think, I failed you by doing that. Failed you for not trying to reach out sooner. But some things have come up in my life, wonderful and scary things. World-changing things. In truth I want to share them with you, this life-altering change. I want you to be there with me while it happens, I want you to be a part of it. I want us to be a family again. So, let's meet up. My numbers on the back of this letter. I tried contacting you through your work but the manager there didn't seem really keen about you or giving out your info due to legal reasons I'd guess. So I'm giving this to her to mail to you or pass it along. If by any chance you feel the same, please call me. Even if it's just to say no, and to never contact you again, call me. Whatever our differences, you are still my brother Michi. I still love you, and I still miss you. So, even if you turn me away, please know. You will always be my little brother, and I will always love you. But I can't hold out for you anymore, I need to move on. With or without you.
Forever your Meimei,
Meiko
Putting the letter down Naoto could not help but cover his eyes. 'So this is why…' He sadly thought, struggling to not cry at the letter he'd just read. 'She'd been trying to get in contact with…' Looking towards Takemichi his heart ached for the older male.
"I need to go see her," Takemichi repeated.
"Takemichi-kun–"
"I know this won't change anything." Takemichi cut in, Naoto froze as he noticed the silent tears running down the man's face. "But I can't… I can't just pretend I didn't see this. That I didn't read this." Clutching his chest, Takemichi slightly slumped forward slightly, "Not after everything I read, I… I need to go. I need to clear things up."
"But what good will it do!" Naoto tried to argue, "I feel your pain, but… She's gone. She and my sister– They're not here. Not anymore… We should focus on finding out why Draken died, and saving them. Then, then you can–"
"No!" Takemichi almost seemed to snap. "I need to do this now!" He sobbed, "I… These feelings, these thoughts…" He desperately looked Naoto in the eyes. "I made her feel that, I made her think that!" He choked, "I… I'm the worst. My sister, my sister was my best friend. She was my family! When our parents weren't around she did everything she could to make sure I didn't feel alone or hurt." His eyes drifted to the ground in pain, "She stepped up, so I didn't have to. She supported me with a smile and scold, cause no one else would, but what did I do!" Angrily he threw some of Naoto's papers off his desk and slammed his fist on it. "I didn't do shit!" He almost yelled, "I ran away! I left her behind! I left her alone!" He slowly started to fall onto the table as his legs slowly gave out from under him. "I… wasn't there for her… Akkun knew it. He saw it! I bet Hina did too. I broke our family, and made my sister feel like she was at fault… Ten years… She waited for me to come back on my own for ten years, and the moment she finally tries to kick my sorry ass into action what happens…"
Rising from his seat Naoto tried to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Takemichi–"
"She dies!" He yells, "Her, Hina, and you!" He snapped his head towards Naoto's direction showing his distraught expression. "You all died together, and even when I accidentally saved you they still died. And now Akkun is dead too!" Sobbing he fully collapses to the ground, "I have to see her… Even if it's just her grave. I need to go see her, and at least let the Meimei of this timeline know I would've said yes!" He cried, "I would've said yes... to being a family again."
Naoto could only watch as the man cried, quietly placing his hands upon the man to show his sign of support. Nothing else could be done, after all, nothing else could be said. The pain they shared was deep and similar, but perhaps for the first time, Naoto understood… That the pain of Takemichi, perhaps ran deeper than his own. "Alright…"
Takemichi hiccuped, before slowly looking up. "Hmm." Meeting Naoto's gaze, as the younger man silently shed tears for him.
"I'll tell you… Where Mei-nee was buried."
July 11, 2017 Yayoi
"How is it…" A twenty-seven-year-old, long red-haired woman, with tired green eyes, began to mutter around a candy cigarette. "That it always seems to rain." She quietly ponders, looking up at the night sky. "When I want to come to see you, Mei?" The woman was the now-adult Yayoi. Dressed in a large raincoat, and a simple white blouse, and a black pencil skirt. The woman's work ID noting her position as a Clinic Doctor still on full display, as she walked with a transparent umbrella in one hand, and a small bouquet of simple white Kiku, better known as chrysanthemums, in the other.
She walked up the lone steps of a graveyard, her heart heavy, and her mind a tired mess. The loss of her best friend still fresh in her heart, even with the funeral now passed. "He's a complete no-show…" She mumbled, the image of the younger Hanagaki sibling from their middle school days flashing through her mind as she frowned. "He didn't even come forward to claim your body…" She sighed under her breath, walking farther into the cemetery. 'So now he's pissed…' The image of a blonde-haired man with a dragon tattoo on his neck glaring down at the ashes of his deceased lover after her cremation flashed before her eyes.
Yayoi watched silently from beside, opening her mouth to try and say something, only flinching back in fear when the man's gaze came up to her. "..." No words needed to be spoken, no sentences exchanged, the look in his eyes alone told Yayoi everything. He was murderous.
Shivering she struggled to not hug herself at the memory, not wanting to risk crushing her bouquet. 'That man… How did you ever deal with him, Mei?'
Stepping off the final step, Yayoi froze. Seeing an unfamiliar dark-haired man standing before Meiko's grave with his hands in prayer without an umbrella, before the grave were a new set of flowers, Ajisai, otherwise known as Hydrangea, of pink, blue, and purple. "Who are you?" She loudly called out, but the man did not respond, and as she walked closer cautiously. She froze. "Hanagaki… Takemichi," she gasped in surprise, realizing who the silently praying and crying man was as he seemed to finally hear her as he turned to look up at her.
"..." Staring up at the red-haired woman before him, Takemichi's eyes narrowed slightly in deep thought as he stared at Yayoi without recognition before they widened and he fully turned to face her shock. "Shimizu… Yayoi-san."
Silently staring back at one another Yayoi felt her stomach twist into knots, rage slowly bubbling up from beneath the surface as she muttered. "You…"
"Yayoi-san… What are you doing here?" Hearing the dark-haired man say this, Yayoi snapped.
Marching up to the shocked and confused man before slapping him with the hand that originally carried her bouquet. Takemichi's head snapped with the sharp slap, as his eyes widened in shock at the sudden hit. Slowly turning to look back at the shorter woman, he was slapped again, before feeling himself being hit repeatedly on the chest as if Yayoi were trying to stab him with her fist.
"What am I doing here?" Yayoi almost whispered before hitting Takemichi once more in the chest. "WHAT AM I DOING HERE?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" She angrily snapped, causing Takemichi to flinch back.
"I–"
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN MEI DIED?!"
Takemichi's eyes were wide as he struggled to speak, "I–"
"YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO CLAIM HER BODY!" She watched as Takemichi flinched back, "YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO COME TO HER CREMATION!" She screamed, "IT WAS ON THE NEWS DAMN IT! DID YOU REALLY NOT CARE–"
"No!" Takemichi finally snapped back, catching Yayoi's fist to stop her repeated abuse. "I… I did care!" His mind replayed the news of Hina, Naoto's, and Meiko's deaths. "I did!" He shouted back, "But I…" He'd hadn't even been given much time to mourn, he hadn't even begun to consider trying to contact their parents, or even going to claim his sister remains himself before… "I was pushed onto a train rail…" He muttered, releasing the older woman's wrist. "And then…"
Yayoi stared at the distraught man out of breath, staring as he looked down at his hands with guilt as tears once more began to build in the corner of his eyes. "..."
"I lost track of it all…" Takemichi finished, unable to say more. 'What more can I say?' He thought ashamed, 'I experienced my first time leap, and from that saved Naoto. But because of that… Naoto and I… Naoto and I… have been completely focused on saving Hina and Meimei, I couldn't go to their wakes because their wakes were held while I was in the past the second time.' He thought, recalling how Naoto explained this to him as he told Takemichi where his sister's remains had been taken.
"While I was able to attend my sister's wake, Mei-nee's was held around the same time." Naoto quietly admitted, "The one who carried out your sisters final requests was–"
He looked up at the angrily glaring Yayoi as she continued to stare him down.
"Yayoi-san."
'So she was the one… who had to step in because I wasn't there. Again.' Takemichi almost bitterly thought as Yayoi continued to glare at him. 'It's no wonder she's so pissed. I… completely deserves her rage.'
Closing her eyes, unable to keep staring at the sad display of the man before her, Yayoi growled, running her fingers through her hair as she began to count under breath. "Ichi, ni, san, shi, go..." She tapped her foot irritatedly while doing so, turning her body away from Takemichi as she lightly passed before the grave of her childhood friend. Reaching twenty, she stopped to turn towards the Hanagaki male, opening her mouth to speak. Only to freeze when the familiar sound of a familiar motorcycle engine approaching from off in the distance. Eye's becoming wide and filled with fear she looked up at the confused Takemichi. "Oh no…!"
"Yayoi-san…? Wha–"
"He's coming…" She grabbed onto his arm. "We have to go!"
"Huh?" Takemichi exclaimed, feeling himself being tugged by the shorter woman. "Wh–"
"We have to go now, Hanagaki!" She panickedly snapped, dragging the man by the arm. "He'll kill you if he sees you! He'll definitely snap!" She almost yelled, leading Takemichi off away from the stone steps that had led up to the platformed area Meiko's and many others' graves sat on. "There's another entrance this way, we'll leave that way."
"Wait!" Takemichi tried to argue and fight back as he was led away, "Who are you talking about?" Takemichi exclaimed, "Who's gonna kill me if he sees me? Who's gonna snap?"
"Him!" Yayoi hissed, "Now shut up and follow, don't say a word! We can't risk him catching wind of us!"
"But who's he–"
"We don't have time!" She almost yelled, freezing as the motorcycle engine suddenly stopped. "Shit, come on! We really don't have time, I'll explain everything. But we need to go now! Trust me!" She almost cried, staring at Takemichi desperately for him to just shut up and follow.
So he did, Takemichi seeing just how desperate and fearful his sister's old friend had become, and feeling uncomfortably scared when he realized the fear on her face… was almost that of Akkun's before he died.
"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.
"Okay… I trust you. Lead the way."
Yayoi almost sobbed tears of relief, keeping her hold firm on the younger man even as he willingly followed her out and away from Meiko's grave and the cemetery it laid in.
At the abandoned grave, a familiar man dressed in all black and carrying his own bouquets of dark red roses came forward. Finding the abandoned bouquets of Yayoi and Takemichi before his lover's grave, Sano Manjiro coldly stared down at the abandoned flowers. "... Damn, must have just missed him." He muttered, before turning his gaze longingly and sorrowful towards the tombstone of his lover.
July 11, 2017 Takemichi
Sitting on a small clinic cot Takemichi found himself changed out of his original wet clothes and into a change of fresh clothes while drying his hair off with a clean white towel. The clinic he sat in was the Shimizu Family Clinic that was owned by Yayoi and her family. Though he and his sister's best friend had never been close, Takemichi was no stranger to the clinic that his sister and he frequented for treatment or help.
The Shimizu clinic was known as a very open and very supportive clinic towards the community. Many families with financial struggles, or kids who'd gotten into scuffles here and there were known to come to the clinic. Takemichi remembered some of his many visits to the clinic in his youth as, at least as far as Takemichi remembered, the clinic was one willing to work with people to get the treatment or help they needed.
'Then again it's been years since I've last been here.' Takemichi silently thought, giving the private office space a quick once over, 'It's definitely changed a bit over the past twelve years. Me and my friends wouldn't even come here to get treated after we were made Kiyomasa-kun's slaves, not with how risky it was that Yayoi might spill to Meimei or even worse… Meimei being here to catch us.' He recalled, remembering how the guys and he had started to get good at first aid just because of those past events.
Looking towards the doctor's desk, Takemichi froze. Standing up from his seat the towel fell, being left behind as the dark-haired man made his way over to the desk. Finding an array of photos from over the years framed on the desk… but the one that stood out most was of his sister and Yayoi from twelves years in the past posing and smiling at the beach with Mikey, Draken, a blonde-haired girl, and a whole bunch of other boys he had never seen. 'Huh, when-?'
"You okay with coffee?" Yayoi walked in, carrying two mugs of hot coffee in hand as she walked up towards Takemichi.
"Um yeah, uh-" Takemichi began to respond as he took the offered beverage from Yayoi. Looking down at the drink a bit concerned.
"Don't worry." Yayoi took a seat on her desk chair, "It's not poison."
"Like I was actually worried about that!" Takemichi rapidly exclaimed, 'Should I be?!'
"Chill idiot. It was a joke." Yayoi sighed, "I made it the same way your sister took her's. I seem to remember that was the only way you could handle it the first time you tried some." Yayoi muttered nostalgically, gazing down at her own dark brew as Takemichi looked down at his own mug solemnly.
"Oh… thank you." Looking back over at the framed pictures he shook his head before asking. "So um… I've got a question?" Takemichi began only to be stopped as he was met with a raised hand of silence from Yayoi as opened what looked like a pack of cigarettes before his eyes with one hand. '... She smokes?'
"Answer mine first." Placing a cigarette in her mouth she offered Takemichi some, only for the young man to aggressively shake his head.
"Oh, I don't smoke!"
"They're candy, dumbass."
"Oh… um, sure." He took one then and bit into the chalky sweet, 'Minty.'
Hiding a laugh behind a cough, Yayoi only shook her head. "God, you haven't changed."
"Um… Thanks for the change of clothes." Takemichi then said awkwardly, pulling at the shirt he'd been given. 'Though where'd she get men's clothes from.'
Shrugging, Yayoi pulled another candy cigarette out to eat. "No problem, my husband keeps a spare set of clothes here for when we both get off of work late. Or he decides to spend the night here with me." She casually explained making Takemichi's mood lighten slightly.
"Oh! You're married now." He noticed the wedding band than on her ring finger. "Congratulations, I guess I can't call you Shimizu anymore huh."
"Nope, you still can."
"Huh?"
"I kept my maiden name." Yayoi bluntly replied. "It's the name I had when I became a Doctor and it'd be a pain to change it, especially with the clinic's name."
"Oh…" Takemichi replied, 'I guess that makes sense.'
"So… my question?"
"Oh, um… Right. Uh, what was your question?" Takemichi nervously questioned as Yayoi stared him down with her deep emerald eyes.
"You said you were pushed into train rails right? Was that why you never tried to get into contact or appear at your sister's wake?" Yayoi asked, causing Takemichi to begin to sweat a bit in place.
"Uh… Yeah." He nervously replied, 'I mean that's sorta true.'
"Was that why you were passed out, were out all this time?" She asked, face becoming filled with concern as she began to give Takemichi a better once over. "You do look a bit paler than before…"
"..." Eye's becoming wide, Takemichi's jaw dropped as he openly gaped at the red-haired woman, "Wait! Huh?! How do you know about that?" He exclaimed, almost dropping his mug as he jumped away from the red-haired woman.
"Well, that would be because Naoto-kun called me over for a consultation and supplies. How else do you think he got that equipment? Magic? He may be a cop, but he can't just stroll into any clinic or hospital and flash a badge to get what he wants… Well, at least not without gaining specific clearance from his bosses." Yayoi simply replied, "I'll admit, I didn't realize it was you at the time, but given what you just said, and what I saw…" Her brows furrowed and her lips dipped into a frown from around her chalky sweet. Standing from her seat she bowed, "I'm sorry."
"Huh?!"
"What I said back then, at the cemetery, it was all wrong," Yayoi explained as she slowly stood up back straight, face now stricken with regret. "If I'd realized sooner that was you comatose in Naoto-kun's apartment I wouldn't have said such cruel words to you. You had legitimate reasons."
"Oh…" Takemichi mumbled in surprise, "And I guess you wouldn't have hit me too."
"..."
Pointing to himself, Takemichi nervously repeated, "And you wouldn't have hit me, right?" She smiled at him and Takemichi shivered as he noted how similar the look was to one his sister used to give him. 'She still would have hit me.'
Dropping her smile, Yayoi frowned as she fell back into her seat with her arms crossed. "Though that begs the question, how did you get pushed into train rails…" Eye's becoming filled with concern she asked, "You… you didn't–"
"No!" Takemichi quickly exclaimed, "I… I would never! Akkun was the one who–" His hand shot up to cover his mouth.
"Akkun…" Yayoi's eyes became wide with shock. "Atsushi-kun pushed you!" She exclaimed in shock, slamming her hands on her chair's arms. "B… but he's–" She stopped, facing becoming pale as her left hand rose to cover her mouth. "Oh goodness… Is that why he…"
'Committed suicide.' Takemichi sadly thought.
"I can't… believe it. Why would he–" Takemichi could only shake his head, not sure what he could even say to Yayoi with everything that had occurred. Sighing, Yayoi could not help but cover her eyes, "... It seems like death wants to haunt all our steps this year."
"Yeah…" Leaning back on Yayoi's desk, Takemichi couldn't help but frown. "... Um, so I answered your question. Does this mean you'll answer mine now?"
Dragging her hand away from her eyes Yayoi sighed nodding, "Yeah. Hit me."
"..." Silently staring at the older woman, Takemichi began to contemplate his next question, 'Do I ask about why she was so scared back at Meimei's grave?' The image of Yayoi's fear-stricken face flashed through his mind, 'Do I ask about who 'he' is?' His mind replayed Yayoi's words.
"He'll kill you if he sees you! He'll definitely snap!"
"Oh!" Yayoi suddenly exclaimed, reaching in her lab coat's pocket. "I almost forgot, this was in your pants." She held up a familiar now slightly damp letter to him. "Luckily I pulled it out before stuffing your clothes in the drier. Don't worry, I made sure not to read it."
Takemichi's eyes became wide as he recalled a certain line within the letter.
"In truth, I want to share them with you, this life-altering change."
'That's it…' Feeling tears well up in his eyes again, the dark-haired male gently took the letter from the red-haired woman's hands. Pulling the letter close he closed his eyes, before taking a deep breath. "... Yayoi-san." Looking at the green-eyed woman he trembled a bit in place. "Do you… Do you have any idea on what news Meimei was trying to tell me before she died? When I showed Naoto he was just as much in the dark as I was." Holding back out the letter to the older woman, as she frowned at his question. "I would kind of hope you'd know, given that you are… were, her best friend."
Taking the letter from his hands once again, she opened it and began to scan through the page. Brows furrowing, as she read more and more of the letter. Reaching the end she sighed and returned the letter to Takemichi, slouching on her seat to hold her head as her eyes were hidden by her bangs. "Of course, she'd try to tell you…"
"Yayoi-san…?"
Sighing once more loudly, she leaned back in her seat. Staring vaguely up at her clinic's ceiling, before asking. "I don't think I should tell you."
"So you do know!" Takemichi exclaimed hopeful, "Please Yayoi-san–"
"Telling you now won't change anything." She turned her seat away from him, "If anything… It'll only make her death worse." She almost inaudibly muttered, Takemichi hands clenching into a fist by his side as he glared at the back of the woman's head.
"Please, I need to know!" Takemichi desperately demanded, moving to try and force Yayoi to look him in the eye.
"Even if knowing only makes it worse." He froze as he was met with a dark glare from Yayoi.
He shivered but refused to back down. "Even if…" He nodded, "She was my sister, I have the right to know her final message to me."
"You? Have the right?" She almost growled. Yayoi's eyes flashed with rage, and she jumped from her seat pointing an accusatory finger in Takemichi's chest as she yelled. "You lost the right to be a part of her family when you ran away! Why do you suddenly care about them now?" She froze and paled. "Shit…" She whispered.
Takemichi's eyes became wide, "Them? What do you mean by…" His heart stopped, his stomach twisted into knots as his legs gave way underneath him and he fell back on his butt.
"I want you to be there with me while it happens, I want you to be a part of it. I want us to be a family again."
His sister's letter once more flashed through his mind, and his hand flew up to his mouth as bile rose up from his throat. "Takemichi!" Yayoi's hands flew to a small trash bin by her desk and tried handing it to him, "Here! Throw up in here!"
Tear's leaked from the corner of his eyes, grabbing the bin he hurled. Gagging and heaving as he lost everything and anything from his stomach. 'Pregnant!?' He thought crying, Yayoi kneeling by his side. Voice muffled as she tried calming the shocked male. 'She was pregnant!' He sobbed, 'I didn't just lose Hina, and Mei-nee that night.' His throat constricted and he struggled to not wail, as sobbed out. "I… was going to be an uncle…"
Yayoi's eyes filled with tears, seeing the distraught look in the males' eyes as the realization sunk in. She reluctantly nodded, "Yes… She was just around three months along, I was the doctor who'd confirmed it… Takemichi, I'm so sorry! I… I didn't mean to let it slip! I told you it would only make it worse." She cried, as Takemichi shakingly looked up at Yayoi wide-eyed.
"That man, the one you were afraid to run into cause he'd kill me. Was he… was he…"
Yayoi could only close her eyes, and nod sadly. "Yeah… He was Mei's lover… and the father of her child."
Takemichi's eyes welled up more, collapsing into the older woman's arms and crying. The present was only getting worse and worse the longer he stayed. 'Memei…!'
Wrapping her arms, around Takemichi shaking and sobbing form. Yayoi could only cry silently. Her heartbreaking for him, and the loss of her friend. 'I was wrong, Takemichi… I was wrong… You really do care… I'm sorry.'
July 11, 2017 Naoto
Passing back and forth within his office Naoto, kept glancing at his laptop's clock.
11:45 pm
"Where are you Takemichi-kun?" He worriedly muttered, "I should have never agreed to letting you go on your–" His office door opened, and his head snapped back to see Takemichi tiredly walk in. "Takemichi-kun! Your back, I was starting to get worried. You've been gone all day, what happened?" Naoto concernedly asked, noting the ragged look Takemichi had left with seemed to have gotten worse. "Are you… okay?"
Looking down at his feet Takemichi nodded, "Yeah. Yeah… I just… I ran into Yayoi-san."
"Ah, Shimizu-sensei." Naoto gasped, staring at Takemichi in shock. "You ran into her?"
Walking past Naoto, Takemichi nodded. "Yeah… She was visiting Mei-nee's grave." Sitting down on Naoto's couch he tiredly smiled up at Naoto. "She told me that she was the contact you got the stuff to take care of my body while I was in the past. Sorry for being such a hassle."
Frowning at the older man's words Naoto crossed his arms over his chest, "It was honestly not as bad as you think. At least thanks to it being Shimizu-sensei, she didn't ask many questions and trusted that my reasons were sound… I should probably be questioning that more myself though." Naoto quietly muttered under his breath, glancing off to the side where the medical supplies Yayoi had given them sat.
Sadly smiling up at Naoto, Takemichi added. "I showed her the letter."
Eyes widening, Naoto's gaze snapped back towards Takemichi. "You did?" Hand flying to his chin he mutters, "Wait, no of course. If anyone knew what Mei-nee was wanting to tell you in her letter, then it would be Shimizu-sensei. She's the only other person, outside my sister, that probably would have known." Looking cautiously towards Takemichi he asked, "Did she?"
Nodding Takemichi looked down at his hands. "Yeah…"
"...And?"
Takemichi frowned as he looked up at Naoto, "She was trying to tell me… That I was going to be an uncle."
"An uncle!" Naoto exclaimed, heart, dropping to his stomach. "You mean Mei-nee was…"
"So you didn't know?" Takemichi cautiously asked as Naoto angrily shook his head.
"No!" Glaring towards the board that held Mikey's and Kisaki's picture he growled, "The damage my sister and Mei-nee's bodies sustained was too great for an autopsy to be done…" His hands clenched into fists as he looked down at the ground, "We couldn't even have an open casket for them if we'd wanted."
"I see…" Takemichi sadly muttered looking down, he laughed under his breath. "So you were in the dark just as much as I was…"
Ashamed Naoto nodded, "I can't believe I didn't see the signs… In hindsight, they were there."
He recalled seeing Meiko pale and seeing her avoid certain drinks and food. He remembers seeing her become ill over his cologne when he'd come to see her at her shop, remembers how Hina stopped wearing perfume after Meiko reacted with throwing up when Hina had tried to share the new scent. She'd been eating more, there was a glow to her face and her eyes…
"I should have seen them!" He angrily hissed, no longer was it only his sister and Takemichi's they lost that horrible night… Now they knew there had been a third, another innocent soul snuffed out before it even had the chance to live.
Eye's narrowing, Naoto looked at Takemichi curiously, "Wait… That begs the question though, who's the father?"
"You don't know?" Takemichi almost exclaimed in shock as Naoto shook his head.
"No… As far as I knew your sister was happily single, perhaps mine knew but…" Entering a thinking pose he asked, "Is it Sendo?"
Takemichi quickly shook his head, "No. Akkun and Mei-nee never had that sort of relationship, cross my heart." He made the gesture as he said this.
"Then who…? Did Shimizu-sensei say?"
Frowning Takemichi could not help but stare down at the ground, "No… But apparently, I almost ran into the guy today at Meimei's grave."
"What?" Naoto gasped, "Wait, what do you mean almost? Why didn't you then?"
"Yayoi-san dragged me away." Takemichi explained, "She said if he saw me, he'd kill me."
Frowning, Naoto felt his stomach twist in dread and concern, "That's a little dramatic don't you think."
"Yeah, but the thing is…" He met Naoto's gaze head-on and seriously, "Yayoi-san really believed it, she was so terrified she dragged me out of the cemetery. It almost reminded me of the way Akkun spoke of Kisaki." He nervously admitted watching Naoto frown as he turned his gaze towards the open laptop.
"That doesn't sound very reassuring. Did she at least tell you who they were?"
"No." Takemichi regretfully admitted, "She refused to say more on the matter, and honestly… I didn't know if I could bring myself to ask. Knowing how much they seemed to hate me."
"Takemichi-kun." Naoto began with a scolding tone to his voice, as the other man groaned, grabbing his head.
"I know! I know! I should have made her tell me like I did my sister's message." He grumbled ruffling his own head, "I just… It was just too much, I couldn't really think all that straight after all these bombs that had been dropped."
Sighing Naoto could only hold his head, "I… I understand, but the fact still remains." He stared Takemichi down. "Mei-nee was apparently still in contact with Sendo, and Sendo was a part of Toman's upper echelon, and one of Kisaki's soldiers… What if–"
"No." Takemichi cut him off.
"It's something to consider."
"It's not!" Takemichi tried to defensively snap, as Naoto only stared him down.
"There is no evidence to say she was–"
"Naoto." Takemichi angrily warned, but Naoto only stared at him coldly.
"But there is the chance your sister has connections to Toman that we don't know about."
Takemichi shot up from his seat, "There's no way!" He yelled, "My sister…" The image of the past Meiko smiling at him flashed through his mind, "There is no way my sister..." The picture in Yayoi's clinic office flashed through his mind, and he angrily shut his eyes tight. "There's no way my sister would ever willingly get involved with Toman! Especially not the evil Toman of this time! She could never just turn a blind eye and stand by while innocent people get hurt."
Silence fell upon the office, as Naoto watched Takemichi shake in place. Frowning he turned away from his partner, having to clench tight his own fist as he felt himself shake at the mere notion of what he had put forward, and yet… "It's just something to consider." He tried sending Takemichi a reassuring look, "I'm sure that… Whatever her connection, she is probably innocent. You're right in that Mei-nee isn't the type of person to just turn a blind eye." Walking to his desk, he once more began to open up files and archives upon the device. "There's no way she'd be involved with Toman if she knew half the things they've done… But even still with her business, it is still a possibility. "
"What do you mean?" Takemichi cautiously asked, giving Naoto a concerned look.
"It's nothing illegal really, it's not even anything you could say could be questionable." Pulling out his phone he sent Takemichi a link. "Here, take a look."
Opening the link on his own phone, Takemichi frowned. "Butterfly Effect Cafe… Wait, I've heard of that place!" Takemichi exclaimed, looking at Naoto in shock. "This place is supposedly really popular with the newer generation and some of our own for openly supporting the supposed outcasts of society. This was… her business?"
Nodding Naoto sighed, "Yeah… Your sister was known for employing a lot of people who society would have deemed useless or no good, a lot of ex-delinquents with records, people with certain… issues, or part of certain movements."
Swiping through some of the photos posted on the cafe, Takemichi smiled as he noticed his sister, Yayoi, and some teens waving different flags from the LGBTQ+ community, and even her serving drinks for a get-together for what seemed to be a teen support group. There were people with tattoos openly showing them in the store, people dressed in both regular and more eccentric outfits. The atmosphere was warm, it was open and supportive…
Everything his sister was in that shop, and the people there happily enjoyed it.
Shaking in his spot, Takemichi muttered, "But if this is how my sister's work went… How can you think she'd ever be connected to Toman outside Akkun?"
"It's unfortunately because of her work. That's what makes it possible." Naoto sighed, "I'll admit, your sister would ask me to do more thorough background checks when it came to the people she planned to hire. Outside committed offenders of highly… inappropriate sexual matters." He shuttered in disgust, "And those who seemed to be repeat offenders, your sister was willing to give a lot of people the second chances they needed to get their lives in order." Turning to look at his screen he added, "A lot of them were known to have had past gang connections or to have fallen into the wrong crowd due to both external and internal circumstances. Your sister was definitely too kind at times for her own good… I'd hate to think that nature may have helped place a target on her."
Clenching his hands into a fist, Takemichi sent Naoto a determined glare. "... Have you found anything yet about Draken?"
"Not yet… We have twelve years' worth of records to look over and through, so it might take a bit. Especially with me looking into if Mei-nee had any Toman connections beyond just Sendo."
Frowning, Takemichi looked towards Naoto, "...What can I do to help?"
Slowly turning back to the older male, Naoto responded with the only way he felt it was best that he could. "Rest, and mourn. It's just like you said, after all, the past few days have been nothing but bomb after bomb on your mental and emotional fortitude." Turning away from Takemichi he returned to his searching, "Maybe even see if you can't find out about Mei-nee's lover from Shimizu-sensei. I can't very well say why but… I can't help but feel concerned with what little we know about this mystery man."
Looking down, Takemichi could not help but agree, 'Yeah… Me too Naoto… Me too.'
July 12, 2017 Yayoi
Longingly staring at the pictures that decorated her desk Yayoi sighed, as she heard her cell go off. Picking up the phone the caller ID read unknown, but she picked up anyway. "Yes~"
"He was at her grave. Wasn't he?"
Silently breathing through her nose, Yayoi composed herself. "Mikey-san, it's been a bit. Who's this he you speak of?"
"Don't play coy Yaichi." She shivered at the almost venomously kind way he worded this, "You know exactly who I mean… Hanagaki Takemichi."
Mouth running dry she wet her lips, "Oh, him. Yes, I saw. He finally woke up from his coma." The line went silent from the other side.
"...Coma?"
Hearing the curious tone to his serious question Yayoi almost sighed in relief, "Yes. It seems the poor boy was in an accident not too long after Mei's death. Pushed onto train tracks by Sendo Atsushi. That's why he was a complete no-show till now."
'Kisaki.' Gripping his hold on the burner phone he used, Mikey glare darkened as he stared out at the city skyline at night. "Is there any proof?"
"Treated the poor boy myself. Didn't realize who he was at the time or even just what was wrong, but he was out, I can tell you that much. Is that good enough?" More silence, her hands clutching at the arms of her chair, the line went dead and she sighed a sigh of relief. "Apparently yes…" She all but whispered before looking at the image of her dearly departed friend solemnly, "Glad to see he still hasn't gone too far over the edge, you owe me for trying to help look after that man of yours."
Rising from her seat she picked up her finished mug and began to walk away. "Though… I don't know how much I can do to try and keep that idiot brother of yours from the jaws of Kisaki or Mikey." Turning off her office light, she looked back at the darkened room solemnly, "There's no telling who now, would be the lesser of two evils." She shut the door tight behind her and began to walk away.