(A/N: Finally. I'm back from the grave my fellow readers and gone back to update this. I sincerely thank all my readers who patiently waited for this fic to be updated. You guys are the best. So, here's the latest update of this story and to celebrate the 3rd season of the anime which came out this October. Some scenes were excerpts from the manga themselves hence spoilers ahead. But if you have read the manga and watched season 2 of the anime, then this will be all familiar to you. Additionally, I've decided that this story to have 18 chapters to cover the whole plot and developments of the characters. Lastly, I do hope that you enjoy this chapter as much as I did when I wrote it. Reviews and kudos are much appreciated).


Chapter 6

By: Aztec999


"Huh? I'm Hanagaki Takemichi of course. What kind of question is that Kazutora-kun?" Takemitchy asked in a puzzled voice.

Kazutora let out an imperceptible sigh at his response.

Of course, he would say that.

The blond tended to take things. Literally.

"Nothing. You're just being a weirdo sometimes." Kazutora scoffed lightly and gone back to reading at the papers scattered on the table.

"Hey! That's uncalled for y'know?" Takemitchy protested with a small pout adorning his lips and Kazutora ignored how it made him cute like that.

'The fuck you're thinking about idiot? Stop getting distracted by some dumb shit and focus on the task at hand!' His mind berated at him harshly and he wanted to bang his head on the wall to make his brain shut up sometimes.

"As I was saying," Kazutora promptly ignored his protest and continued. "If we do this carefully from the inside, we might be able to cut out one of their cashflows and be able to find Mikey."

Takemitchy stared at the papers on the table and read it carefully, his brows furrowed slightly.

"I don't know Kazutora-kun… I've got a bad feeling about it… If Kisaki finds out what we're doing… We're done for." He replied with a sigh, leaving his lips.

"Then do you have any other ideas genius?" Kazutora asked with a brow raised.

Takemitchy bit his lip as if he was in concentration.

"I know someone…" He began hesitantly.

"And?" Kazutora prompted him to continue.

"The person I know can probably help us!" Takemitchy replied enthusiastically.

"Well do I even get the privileged of knowing who this person is?" Kazutora asked impatiently.

"Ah about that..." Takemitchy rubbed his nape sheepishly. "It's one of my informants... I can't tell you who this person is, or we might both get in trouble. It's safe if this person remains anonymous to you for the meantime. But I promise that I'm not betraying you!" Takemitchy quickly added as Kazutora began looking at him in askance.

Kazutora grew quiet for a moment, his golden irises bored right through his periwinkle orbs which made Takemitchy squirmed in his seat and shifted uncomfortably but kept his gaze directly at him to show his honesty and sincerity.

An exasperated yet resigned sigh left Kazutora's lips afterwards.

"Okay. I'll leave it to you for now since between the two of us, you have more connections than me that we can probably rely on. But if I found out that you cross me Takemichi..." Kazutora trailed off in a sober voice, his facial expression neutral yet there was thin line of a threat that he meant business this time.

Takemitchy swallowed thickly. He remembered those times in the past where Kazutora can be threatening and dangerous when needed to be especially when he was emotionally volatile and unpredictable back then. But now in this future, he seemed more sane and collected, but Takemitchy still didn't want to be the receiving end of his wrath if in case he wrongly thought of him such as he was betraying him which he wasn't even going to do in the first place given that he owe him his life from saving him from Kisaki back then. He didn't want to be the receiving end of his probable unresolved issues about trust and betrayal, and he also didn't want to shatter any formed trust between the two of them if there's any...

"Of course, I'm not gonna do that Kazutora-kun! What do you take me for?" Takemitchy made an offended noise at the back of his throat before a small pout lingered around his lips.

"You're wishy washy as the bad weather sometimes so I have to make sure." Kazutora scoffed lightly and didn't look at his face which made some internal weird flips around his stomach and a strange beat around his chest.

Takemitchy let out an inaudible sigh. "Yeah. I get it... But don't worry Kazutora-kun I'm on your side because I wanted to save Mikey and Toman too..." He trailed off, not wanting to give any more hints that might spill out of his lips.

"Anyways, I'm gonna clean up now and take a bath so meet you later Kazutora-kun!" Takemichi added cheerfully and didn't wait for him to respond as he quickly stood up and headed towards his room.

He needed to bide some time and luck to contact Naoto and get some help.

He wasn't even sure what was happening now back in the past.

And he was damn sure if he could just fix whatever clusterfuck that's happening in the past, then this future might be better.

Heck, he might even undo himself in being a criminal and doing atrocious things in this timeline.

'Forgive me Kazutora-kun. But I have no time to explain everything to you.' Takemitchy thought to himself as he made his way inside his room and closed the door behind him with a soft thud.


Of fucking course all the information that they got was from Koko about Taiju's schedule and whatnot.

Being a money grabbing opportunist was his thing after all.

Takemichi resisted the urge to scoff and kept the casual expression on his face as he drowned out the teacher's boring voice in lecturing them about history and whatnot.

From what Takemichi has learnt now and grasped of the current situation based from the bits of information that he learned from Chifuyu over the course of their simple hang out at his room the other day, they will need to talk to Taiju alone and knock some sense into him, which he probably doubt that the man will listen into considering on how obstinate and stubborn he can be with his overbearing and dominant personality and prevent Hakkai from doing something stupid like killing his tyrannical brother for instance.

If Takemichi didn't have a goal in this timeline he would've probably let it be and let those siblings sort out and do their own shit because it's not his own problem. But since it would probably affect him in the long run, he needed to get involved in this shitty family drama and endure Kisaki and Hanma's shit faces.

Nevertheless...

He still hadn't got a clue on the how, why, and when he was jumping into the past and present.

It made his head spin like a damn vertigo.

Takemichi didn't believe in supernatural shit like spirits or time traveling.

But with the way things were now and what he was now experiencing... it seemed that he had to entertain that aspect since his mind cannot conjure up some logical shit about why this was happening to him in the first place.

The only good thing about it was that he was out of that chaotic timeline he was in the first place and had to take a break from running away from the police and Kisaki's clutches.

And the one thing that he noticed was Naoto was there every time he jumped into a different timeline.

Adult Naoto.

Kid Naoto.

His presence was there every time his entire being would be thrown upon into the past or in the present timeline he was on.

Coincidence?

Maybe...

But it's too good to be true—

"Hanagaki. Do you know the answer to my question?" His teacher's voice cut off his wandering thoughts and brought him back to the present.

He resisted the urge to sigh and looked at his teacher with a feigned sheepish look on his face as he stood up from his seat.

"Ah, sorry sensei... But what was the question again?"

"What is the Japanese feudal system called?"

"Ah, it's Edo society... Did I get that correctly sensei?" Takemichi asked innocently as he tilted his head to the side.

One of his teacher's eyebrows arched and looked at him askance as if he couldn't believe the word that left his mouth.

"That's correct Hanagaki. You may take your seat."

Takemichi pursed his lips as he sat down in silence. He inwardly scoffed. He wasn't an A-grade lister type of student, but he wasn't that much of an idiot either.

Hina looked at him and gave him a small smile and thumbs up.

Takemichi followed suit and gave her a thumbs up as well.

Huh. He guessed studying with her in her house had paid off as well even though he'd rather much spent his time doing more interesting things like going out in a club rather than studying.

He'd realized on how much of a studious and goody two shoes Hina really was that he began to think on what she saw in him who was first and foremost a delinquent who got involved in several fights and not the poster boy for a good role model in their school after all.

A few more minutes would pass before the bell rang to conclude their last subject for today.

Finally.

He can finally go home and have some time now to plan on his own how they would tackle the situation during Christmas Eve at the church with Taiju.

It was a double-edged sword since Kisaki and Hanma would be accompanying them on that day and from what he fucking experience with those two conniving bastards, he needed to be careful to avoid whatever trap will they lay out for him and Chifuyu.

Just as he was about to get up and leave the classroom, he felt his phone chime in his pockets and took it to read the contents of the newly received message in his inbox.

'Hello Hanagaki-kun. This is Hinata and Naoto's father. If you have some time available after your class today, can we meet at this small café for a little chat?'

Huh.

Takemichi's eyes narrowed and stared at the screen in askance.

Nevertheless, he typed out a message and sent it.

'Yes sir. Just send me the address and I'll be on my way.'


"My wife's told me a lot about you." The bespectacled man stated calmly as he took a sip from his coffee.

Takemichi could only listen in silence and waited for him to go on.

Hina's father was a spitting image of the adult Naoto in his timeline minus the glasses. Even the aura and the way he spoke reminded him of the young detective.

He wasn't a fan of small talk. One thing he learnt from being with Kisaki for too long back in Toman was there's always a hidden intention beneath them and he's just waiting for Hina's father to get right through the heart of the matter.

"You're dating my daughter, yes?" He asked him.

"Yes." Takemichi answered calmly and kept the casual expression on his face even if he wanted to arch an eyebrow at his question.

"I'm so busy, it's difficult to find time to spend with my children. So, I hear about them almost entirely from my wife." He took another sip of his coffee again.

"And what she has been telling you?" Takemichi asked casually.

"In particular Naoto, my youngest... he hates my job because I'm hardly ever at home. But recently he said this... 'I want to become a police officer.' And it's thanks to you. Thank you... I'm grateful." The man bowed at him gratefully.

What.

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment sir, I didn't do anything special or extraordinary. So, you don't have to bow to me or anything of the sort."Takemichi answered carefully and masked the bewilderment that he felt from the other man's words and actions.

"I'm relieved that you're as nice as I've been told." The man replied with a small smile on his face as he finally looked at Takemichi again. "I want to ask a favor. Will you hear me out?" He added in a sombre voice as he took on a serious facial expression again.

'I knew it.' His mind scoffed lightly.

"What is it?" Takemichi asked in a neutral voice.

"Would you please break up with my daughter? I want her to be happy." He bowed to him again.

"What do you mean by that sir? You're implying that by dating me does not make her happy." Takemichi's lips pursed as he watched the man bowing to him with a blank expression on his face.

"You're a delinquent." The man answered simply. "Can you promise not to drag her into that?"

Takemichi resisted the urge to laugh hysterically or scoff at him in disdain. He was still his girlfriend's... ex-girlfriend's father after all... He needed to show a slight respect to him even if people like him made him want to throw up at the side of the street.

He doesn't even have goddamn time for his own family and now he acted like he knew what would make his daughter happy?

Parents' thought processes seemed weird to him sometimes.

But the one logical aspect that he can see from this was it could make Hina safer and if breaking up with her could change her despairing future into a hopeful one, then so be it.

He's the one who killed her in the future after all.

This was karma to him for the shit he put her through when they were together back then.

He wanted to laugh at the sheer irony of the situation.

Fate doesn't even support their relationship because they can't be even together in the past nor in the future...

And this was for the best.

"I wanted to pacify you and say that I won't. But you're Hina's dad and you're a police officer so lying to you will be pointless. I understand that you want to keep her safe and if this is the way you see it fit then I won't refuse. But sir, I'll disagree with the happy part because I know that I really did make her happy and she's a grown up now, so I guess you really must spend more time with them to know what makes them happy. Have a good day sir." Takemichi replied coolly before he took a shallow bow and left him at the café and didn't look back.

He didn't need to anyway.


A few hours later at the Umishita Park...

There was small yet forlorn smile inched across Takemichi's lips upon seeing Hina walking towards him while holding the umbrella above her head.

"Ah, Takemichi-kun did you wait for too long? I hope I'm not la—."

"Let's break up, Hina." He cut her off bluntly.

"...te to our meeting place..." Hina trailed off as she looked taken aback by his words. "What?"

"Let's break up." He repeated plainly. "You might be wondering why I'm doing this, but I found another girl that I like, and I don't love you anymore." He added simply.

For a moment, a deadly silence enveloped between the two of them before Hina threw her umbrella into the ground and jumped on him, punching him right into his face.

"Jerk! You jerk! I hate you!" Hina yelled furiously as she continued to punch him while tears streamed down her face.

Takemichi let her punch and slap him as she liked. He probably deserved it anyway. If this was the price to pay for not getting involved with her in his dangerous life, then so be it.

'Yeah. Hate me to your heart's content Hina so that you can move on easily from me.' He thought wryly as his face grew numb from the punches and slaps he received from his ex-girlfriend.

She finally stopped and stood up. Taking her umbrella from the ground, she left him in silence.

The freezing temperature started to creep up on him slowly, but Takemichi remained static as a stone on the ground.

Yes, it's cold. But it's colder to break up with your girlfriend for the month that was supposed to be filled with warmth and holiday spirit.

But it had to be done anyway.

Takemichi could only stare at the sky with an empty expression on his face as the snow fell slowly on him.