"The time is finally here!" Emma said, tone serious and firm.
Yamagishi chuckled darkly with his head lowered, "Finally…the time to make our move is now upon us!"
Takuya smirked, "So it's finally time for us to start our plan. This should be fun." The aura around him was warm but mischievous.
"Then, we all know the purpose of why we're here?" Hinata asked with that smile of hers.
Emma and Yamagishi gestured towards the whiteboard, "Operation Mikey & Takemichy's First Date!" They announced to their present audience.
Atsushi and Makoto groaned in unison at not only the laughable title the two decided to name this little operation, but the fact that the purpose of this whole meeting was to discuss Mikey and Takemichy's supposed "first date."
What a mess.
"Look here, you two. Did you really call us all the way out here to talk about Takemichi and Mikey's first date?" Atsushi sounded annoyed already. When he first heard the two of them were going out on their first date, he was understandably shocked just like everyone else. Sure he was happy for them and all, but why make such a big deal out of it?
"Of course we did! This is serious! Mikey's never been out on a date before, or ever!" Emma had a mischievous grin, "You should have seen him last night, he was freaking out and going through his clothes to see what he should wear!"
"How adorable! Getting nervous and excited about his very first date, it's almost cute." Hinata admitted, imagining a nervous Mikey rummaging through his clothes to see what would look good. Just imagining it was enough to make her laugh.
Makoto looked bored though, "Seriously, why should we care about them going out on a date?" He asked, not really seeing the appeal of talking about it.
Emma smirked, "Blackmail material." She answered, dangling her camera with a wicked grin.
"I'm in!" He quickly said.
"Seriously?!" Atsushi exclaimed, surprised by how quickly he changed his stance, "Why the sudden change?"
Makoto began shaking in place, "Because…It's not fair Takemichi gets to go on his first date when I don't even have a girlfriend! This is revenge!" He yelled, feeling his reason was justified.
"You petty bastard." Atsushi sighed at his answer.
Takuya raised his hand, "I have a question! How should we go about doing this, Emma-chan?" He asked.
Emma grinned, "Easy. I've copied Mikey's date plan and have it here!" She showed them a piece of paper to prove it to them, "We're going to follow them without being noticed just to see how things are."
"And then take pictures!" Yamagishi added.
Atsushi gave them both unimpressed looks, "You two just want to spy on them and take pictures so you can humiliate them later." He saw right through their little act and wasn't falling for it.
"Eh~? Why would we want to do that?" Emma blinked her eyes, trying to appear innocent and harmless.
"Yeah, Akkun, just what kind of people do you take us for?" Yamagishi faked looking hurt by his friend's accusations.
"Devious individuals." He replied, bluntly.
"Mean!" They both exclaim.
Hinata clapped her hands, "Okay, everyone let's all calm down! Emma-chan, I'm assuming you've called in reinforcements to help us with this, right?"
Emma's grin became even more devious, "Oh, we've got plenty of reinforcements~"
Atsushi rubbed his temples, trying to stop an oncoming headache that was no doubt coming, 'Pain in the ass.' So much for Takemich and Mikey having their very first date alone without any people keeping an eye on them.
2005年 11月 14日
Mikey was nervous.
Scratch that, he was very nervous. And how could he not be? Today is a very special day and he doesn't want it to suck. That's right, today's his very first date with Takemichi!
That night at the party, with the two of them being alone. He somehow worked up the courage to ask Takemichi out on a date. To his surprise and utter delight—Takemichi agreed to go out with him! You could have told Mikey anything that night to try and darken his mood, but he wouldn't have cared. He was on cloud nine and was still feeling high.
The next morning he practically rummaged through his article of clothing to see what would be appropriate to wear on his very first date.
Thankfully he found something that would look good. Since it was starting to get colder out he was wearing shoes, along with dark purple pants, a white shirt, and a checkered patterned jacket. No one knew he finally asked Takemichi out so he didn't have to worry about anyone teasing him.
He knows the guys would tease him mercilessly, (Baji and Draken) while everyone else would just make mocking sounds of him going on his first date. Basically, there was no way in hell he'd tell the others about this! It's bad enough Emma almost found out about it. Good thing he quickly said he was hanging out with the Founders just like old times instead of telling her the truth.
She's never let him hear the end of it!
"Were you waiting long?"
Takemichi finally arrived and Mikey almost forgot how to breathe.
The black haired teen wore a black, long-sleeved hoodie with beautiful red koi fish patterns on the front. It was matched by his black pants, and shoes. Mikey was honestly surprised he wasn't wearing his trademark kimono, but figured it was probably for warm weather only.
"Sorry for the wait, I had a hard time ditching my shadows." Takemichi said, walking up to a dazed Mikey. Seeing him not replying, Takemichi waved a hand in his face, "Oi, are you still here or somewhere else?"
Mikey snapped out of it, "Huh? No, it's cool. You look good." And he really did mean that. Black really does suit Takemichi after all.
"Surprised I'm not wearing a kimono?" Takemichi questioned.
"Sort of. But since it's starting to get colder I figured you only wear it during warmer weather." Mikey answered.
He wonders if Takemichi would be willing to wear his kimono during winter.
"I don't like the cold, so I'll only wear a kimono when it's warmer." Takemichi shrugged.
"Makes sense, come on we're going to see a movie first." Mikey grabbed the other's hand and walked in the direction of the movie theater. Unknown to the two teens they were currently being watched by certain individuals.
Emma peaked her head out from behind a building along with Hinata and Yamagishi, "How is it, Yamagishi?" She asked.
Yamagishi already had his binoculars out and ready, "Targets are heading in the direction of the theater. You were right, Emma-chan!"
"But, of course! I saw Mikey's date plans so predicting his moves will be easy!" She bragged, chest puffing out in triumph.
"Hey, Emma-chan, are the other's in position?" Hinata asked, curious to know if the others are really close by.
The blonde grinned in response. She took out her walkie-talkie, "Are you guys at your posts?"
Kazutora was hiding behind another building with Chifuyu and Baji. Since he was captain of the Shadow Unit it was decided he would be in charge of Unit #1.
"This is Unit #1. We're in position and have visuals on the two targets." Kazutora responded.
"Good, make sure you don't lose them."
"Understood." He put the communication device away.
Baji's eyebrow twitched, "Oi…just what the hell are we doing?" He knows Mikey's on his very first date and a little irritated he couldn't make fun of him beforehand. But why are they sneaking around like a bunch of creepy stalkers?
"Huh, what do you think we're doing?" Kazutora looked at him like he was an idiot, "Takemichi is going on his first date, so our job is to make sure nothing goes wrong."
Baji's eyebrow twitched even more, "I can understand that much! I'm asking why the hell are we stalking them?!"
"Think about it for a moment, Baji-san. When going on your first date, anything can go wrong." Chifuyu explained to the confused and irritated Baji.
"Who the hell cares?!" Baji exclaimed.
"We do! Takemichi and Mikey deserve this after all the shit that went down with Kisaki and Valhalla." Kazutora replied.
This was just so damn stupid! Baji couldn't believe they talked him into going along with this! Okay, he'll admit that Takemichi's a good guy—not to mention strong as hell—but is there really a need to spy on them like this?
"Stop your bitching, Baji. Think of it this way, if some rival delinquents show up, you can play with them." Kazutora tells him.
Baji's annoyance vanished in an instant, "Yosh, Chifuyu, Kazutora! Let's make sure Mikey and Takemichi have a badass date!" He declared, cracking his knuckles.
"Same old Baji." Kazutora said, dryly.
Chifuyu smiled nervously.
Inui was torn.
While part of him was happy for Takemichi, another was conflicted. Leaving their leader unprotected while he goes out on a date didn't sit very well with him.
He should go over there and act as his bodyguard, but he didn't want to be seen as overprotective or worse be hated by Takemichi of all people!
"I can hear your loud thoughts, Inupi." Koko snickered at his friend's changing expressions.
Inui didn't even bother looking at him, "You can't blame me for worrying. With everything that's been happening, the last thing we need is for something to go wrong." Like for example, a rival gang showing up out of nowhere or god forbid Kisaki!
"Don't get so worked up. Besides, we're here to make sure nothing goes wrong, remember?" Koko reminded him of the task Emma assigned to them. Their job was simple, stay hidden and act as bodyguards to ensure no one bothers Takemichi and Mikey.
Simple enough.
Inui had a serious glint in his eyes, "I will make sure no one gets in their way. Those that attempt to try will be eliminated." He vowed.
"It's nice to see you so motivated about protecting our leader." Koko was having a ball with this, "You're awfully quiet. Figured you of all people would have something to say." He said to a silent Miyako.
Miyako didn't respond to him and focused her attention on Takemichi and Mikey. She had her reservations about the two of them going out on a date, but the person she has now come to see as an older brother looks happy.
And that's all that matters.
"So long as he doesn't hurt onii-chan, then I don't have anything to say as of right now." Miyako finally said.
Koko smirked, "Heh, so that's how it is, huh?" Mikey better be careful in the near future.
"So what kind of movie is this?" Takemichi asked as they sat down, snacks in hand.
Mikey finished taking a sip from his drink, "Some drama about a time traveler, Emma recommended it." He answered.
Takemichi snorted at the irony of him—someone who can literally see the future—now watching a movie about a time traveler. He doubts Mikey's told his gang and family about him having the Mystic Eyes Of Precognition. She probably thought this would be a good movie for them to watch.
The lights of the theater begin to dim as the screen lights up. While their eyes were more focused on the screen, they didn't notice Emma's group were in the very same row as them. Though they were seated in the back row, it was still easy to see them.
"So far, so good." Emma observed.
Hinata hummed in agreement, "It looks like everything's going well. Takemichi seems to be enjoying himself." She can't even remember the last time she's seen him so at ease around another person.
Atsushi looked bored, "Are we seriously going to sit here and watch them instead of the movie?"
"Why not? Aren't you having fun?" Takuya asked, teasing him a little.
"There's nothing fun about this." Atsushi grumbled, irritated by all of this.
"Don't be such a downer, Atsushi. Chill out and enjoy the show." Takuya said, getting comfortable in his seat.
Atsushi suppressed the urge to slam his fist into Takuya's face, but it was a losing battle so far.
All in all, the movie wasn't so bad. Sure there were parts that made no sense whatsoever, but Takemichi can honestly say it was enjoyable. Mikey had another surprise for him, too. Instead of going to a Family Restaurant, Mikey brought him to an outside cafe instead.
"This place is nice and quiet. How did you find out about it?" Takemichi asked him.
"Emma came here once with Hinata," Mikey answered, "She said the food and drinks here were really good." He beamed, eager to try some.
Takemichi had the sneaking suspicion Emma was the mastermind behind their date, but decided not to say anything. For now, at least.
With them focusing on what they should order, Kazutora's group were close by and watching them closely. So far they haven't been followed by any suspicious individuals, but it'd be stupid to let their guard down just because things were peaceful for a moment.
"Ryōgi-san seems to be having fun." Chifuyu smiled at the sight. He doesn't know anything personally about the Black Dragon captain, but having spoken with Takuya that one time had helped him understand the boy a little more.
Kazutora's back was against a brick wall they were hiding behind and had grunted at Chifuyu's statement. Things between him and Mikey have gotten better, but he was still protective of his captain. Having a peaceful day like this wasn't so bad, but there was still the matter of Kisaki to deal with. Ever since his reveal as a spy and Valhalla's disbandment, the snake has been quiet. That can only mean Kisaki is planning something behind the scenes again, and if that's that's the case…
"You look like you wanna kill someone. Thinking about that bastard Kisaki?" Baji's voice brought him out of his dark thoughts. His friend may not be smart sometimes, but his instincts are sharp as hell. No wonder he was able to pick up on Kisaki's bullshit early on.
He snorted, "Was it obvious?" What a stupid thing to ask; of course it was obvious he was thinking about Kisaki.
Baji shrugged his shoulders, "A little. I don't blame you for being worried; hell I'm not convinced that the snake bastard isn't planning something right now."
"From what we know about Kisaki, that's very possible." Chifuyu added his own two cents to the conversation.
"Kisaki's not the type to just stop when his plans keep getting trashed. We all dodged a bullet during the fight between Tokyo Manji Gang and Valhalla. But that just means he has something far worse in mind." Kazutora could feel ill-intent coming from Kisaki leaking like a broken faucet. What worries him right now is that he has no idea what he could be planning. Without him watching Kisaki's every move from the shadows like before; he doesn't know what move to make.
A warm hand was placed on his shoulder, calming him down somewhat. Baji's calm and reassuring expression made him feel calmer. He's not the only one who was worried about what Kisaki might do next. Both allied gangs were concerned and are just trying to get it out of their heads and focus on the quiet peace that will no doubt last for very long.
Suddenly, his head snapped in another direction. Baji and Chifuyu noticed the sudden tension his shoulders displayed, and the slight bloodlust in his eyes.
"Looks like the real fun is about to start!" Baji said, grinning while cracking his knuckles.
Chifuyu already sent a text to Koko, "I just sent a text to Koko-senpai. They're already on their way to the scene; apparently his lieutenant sensed them before we did." Out of all of the higher members of Black Dragon, she's the only one he hasn't gotten to speak to yet. According to Takuya though, she's a monster fighter and after the way she sent Baji-san flying that one time—he believes him.
"Time to get to work." Kazutora pushed himself off the wall and walked away. He sent a quick text to Emma to let her know what's happening.
Emma took out her phone and read the text Kazutora sent, "Kazutora just sent me a text. Looks like both groups encountered some strays trying to interfere."
"Just like we thought would happen. It's fine, might as well let Kazutora-kun and the others handle it." Hinata proposed, taking a bite out of her chocolate parfait.
"Think they might be remnants of Valhalla wanting payback?" Atsushi wouldn't rule it out. A lot of Valhalla members cried foul for how the battle ended, but were largely ignored in the end.
"Probably. But they picked the wrong day for some payback." Makoto would feel sorry for them, but he doesn't.
"Hopefully Takemichi and Mikey don't notice anything." Yamagishi wasn't really hoping for much since those two can sense bloodlust like bloodhounds.
"Too bad we can't watch the bloodbath." Takuya let out a disappointed sigh.
Emma huffed, "Serves them right for trying to ruin Takemichi and Mikey's date. Call it divine punishment." The terrifying look in her eyes was enough to make anyone wilt.
"How terrifying…" The four guys muttered.
Hinata continued to eat her dessert.
The next place they went to was the arcade.
Emma almost blew their cover with her annoyed groan. Thankfully, the two gang captains didn't notice or were having too much fun to be fully aware of their surroundings.
Of course they had to sneak around so as to not be spotted by them. Emma commented how good it was that Baji was with Kazutora; for he was way too competitive with arcade games. Mikey was a little more tamed, but he had his moments.
They followed them for the first two games they played, one of which was a shooting game. The other was a basketball one. Who knew Takemichi was so good at that one? Not them, and certainly not a pouting Mikey. Unfortunately they ended up losing them at that point.
"We lost them!" Yamagishi hissed.
"Obviously, idiot." Atsushi said, rolling his eyes.
Emma frowned as she kept looking around but didn't find them anywhere, "Honestly, where did they go?"
"I think they finally spotted us and decided to hide so we'd leave." Takuya playfully guessed.
Emma looked ready to say something to him, "Huh, so here you are, Emma." A familiar voice got her attention, prompting her to turn to the source, "Eh, Draken? Why are you here?" Did he follow them here?
Draken raised a brow at her confused expression, "What do you mean? Mikey texted me earlier saying to come here." He replied.
"Eh, Mikey did?" Emma couldn't believe it! Does that mean Mikey knew they were following them the whole time and was just pretending not to notice?
"See, I told you she'd make a funny expression." Speak of the devil himself, Mikey appeared right along with a not so surprised Takemichi.
Emma was staring at them in disbelief, "No way! How did you know we were following you?" She demanded.
"Takemichi said he could feel you guys following us since we went to the movies. We just pretended to go along with it until we got here." Mikey answered, smiling like the cat that caught the cream.
Jerk!
The Mizo gang should have known Takemichi would have spotted them from the beginning. His instincts were way too sharp sometimes.
"Sorry, Emma-chan, it looks like we failed." Hinata grabbed her friend's slumped shoulders.
"At least we got to see the two of them having fun." Takuya said in an attempt to cheer her up.
Reluctantly, Emma relented and stopped pouting, "I guess, but still…" There were many things she wanted to say, but ultimately decided to let it go.
"Besides, this day is ending just as we planned." Takuya mysteriously said.
She was confused by what he meant, "What do you mean?" She asked him. Her answer was something soft and small being placed on top of her head. Looking up, she grabbed it and saw it was a pink bear. But not just any bear; it was the very same bear she wanted to get the last time she, Mikey, and Draken came here.
"Remember you said this little guy was cute and wanted it?" Draken asked her.
"Yeah, I remember. But why are you giving it to me…" Her voice trailed off as she remembered what today is.
Hinata gave her a hug, "Happy birthday, Emma-chan!" She congratulated her friend.
Oh, that's right! Today is her birthday, isn't it?
She honestly forgot, having been more excited about Mikey going out on a date.
"Mikey texted me earlier today and asked if we could cut our outing short in favor of celebrating your birthday." Takemichi explained, "I had a feeling you'd follow us all day and agreed. Takuya knew what we were planning, but kept his mouth shut."
Takuya gave the Mizo gang one of his trademark smiles, "What can I say? Being sneaky is my specialty." He joked.
Atsushi smacked the back of his head.
"Does that mean everyone else was in on it, too?" Hinata asked Takemichi.
"No, they were just being overprotective and opted to follow us all day, too." Takemichi replied, making a mental note to talk to his gang later.
Mikey smiled softly at his sister, "Happy birthday, Emma."
"Yeah, Happy birthday." Draken grinned at her.
Emma smiled happily at them and clutched onto her pink bear. Today may not have played as she would have liked, it was worth it in the end.
Best. Birthday. Ever.
In an abandoned warehouse sat a lone figure.
Standing before him were two familiar people, Kisaki and Hanma. Kisaki stood before the person with a serious expression.
"I've come to talk about my proposal to you in person." Kisaki said to the silent figure.
"…"
"Well? How about wiping out the Black Dragon's and remaking it into what you've always wanted," Kisaki said, "As an added bonus, killing Ryōgi Takemichi will break Sano Manjirō completely."
A look of made interest was expressed by the silent individual.
"You seem to be interested. Accept my help, and I'll make sure you get to kill Ryōgi Takemichi while breaking Mikey's will to fight entirely. Black Dragon will be no more, you will rule over it and make it your own gang that kills anyone who stands against you." Kisaki kept on going.
His answer came in the form of a dark, amused chuckle from the individual, "Sounds like fun…I'll get to kill the one who holds the will of Sano Shinichiro and finally fulfill his will to kill Mikey."
"So you'll go for it, then?" Kisaki prompted.
"Yeah, I'll work with you, Kisaki."
Kisaki's glasses glowed when the light from outside hit it, "I look forward to working with you—
The figure stood up before jumping down the crate he was sitting on. With a mad grin on his face, he stepped into the light revealing his features.
This person is above average height, with long blonde hair swept to the right with the left side of their head shaved, revealing their signature temple tattoo extending down to their neck. They also had a small scar on the leftmost side of their mouth and two piercings on both ears.
The unnamed figure wore a long sleeved white shirt, sporting a silver chain around their neck, and black ripped pants.
—Madarame Shion."
狂犬
(The Mad Dog)
