red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

chapter xiii: who is he?

"hell yeah! draken-kun's okay!"

kazua zoned out their celebrations after hearing that draken was alive, her entire body turning stiff at the wonderful news. she knew that he was going to be alright, but there was something in the back of her mind that made her think more realistically.

there was a chance of him dying, too, and the nervous feeling faded away when the operation became a success.

"he's alive." kazua's chest tightened. "ken's okay. he's okay."

"let's go tell the others outside!"

"sada-san!"

a heavy weight fell on her back, three pairs of warm arms wrapping around her. "thank you, kazu-neesan!"

"he's alive, sada-san!"

"draken-kun's okay!"

emma was crying on her shoulder, hinata and takemichi trapping both of them in the middle of the group hug. whereas, the latter remained frozen. this was the first time one of her closest friends hung on a thin string, and she was more than relieved to find out that he fought against death.

"he's alright." she mutters under her breath, feeling a lump stuck on her throat. "emma, don't cry."

"b-but...." hinata and takemichi pulled away, letting the two have their moment as they followed the others outside. "neesan."

"he's okay." she smiled, pulling the girl close to her warmth. one of her hands caressed her hair to seize her tears slowly.

from the corner of her eyes, she was able to spot mikey leaving the hospital. it didn't take her a minute to know what he's going to do.

mikey is a strong man, and he never shows his vulnerable state to anyone.

***

"you sure you don't want to stay a little longer? ryuguji-san might want to see you."

kazua came out from the back of the hospital, meeting senju who was at the empty parking lot. she sat cross-legged on kazua's motorbike, welcoming the girl with a sweet smile.

"emma needs your comfort." she adds.

"they'll be alright." kazua caught her jacket being tossed to her by her companion. "we're done here, frosty."

"mikey needs you." senju says, trying once again. her eyes held the latter's in a long stare down, refusing to have her opinion lose against hers.

the latter's mind drifted back to when she saw mikey leaving the waiting room. he's probably somewhere around the hospital, crying by himself in relief.

"he doesn't." kazua slipped on the sleeves of her jacket and left it unzipped. her eyes slid to the corner. "wear your hood, frosty."

senju didn't question her, pulling the fabric up to hide her face like she ordered. she turns sideways to face the motorbike the same time kazua turned back to the hospital doors.

"hanagaki takemichi," she greets.

"sada-san," the yellow-haired boy took a step forward, hospital lights flashing from the glass doors behind him. "that string. you're mikey-kun's soulmate, aren't you?"

the way he worded it took her aback, and senju who was listening in from the back found it hard to stifle her laughter. kazua's eyes softened, a small smile appearing on her lips. "is that what he told you?" she asks.

"y-yeah," takemichi scratched the back of his head. "i can't tell you all the details, but i need your help. please, fix your relationship with mikey-kun!"

he bows 90 degrees, practically begging for her assistance in saving the leader of toman. "without you..." he paused, "...mikey-kun will die!"

snicker

senju bows her head down, finding it a little cliche and funny.

kazua, for some reason, knew what he meant by that. "hanagaki-san, you really care for him, huh?" her smile remained on her face. "i'm sorry, but our relationship is beyond repair. you can't fix a one-sided relationship."

takemichi's eyes widened. "b-but..." he straightens up, finding the latter's eyes slowly shifting from gentle to sorrow. "...sada-san."

she turns her back on him, walking towards her bike.

"m-mikey-kun isn't the only one who'll die!"

that definitely had her stop.

she looks over her shoulder, gaze colder than before. "what do you mean?"

"i-i..."

"hanagaki-san," she walked back towards the boy until she was right in front of him, a little away from senju's earshot. "what do you mean?"

"that wasn't supposed to slip out." he chuckled nervously. "b-but it's true."

kazua caught his eyes glancing at senju over her shoulder for a brief moment. it gave her the hint that he can't exactly tell her with a third party closely listening in.

sighing, she pulled her phone out and tapped on it for awhile. "in three weeks, we'll discuss what you have to say in private."

with that, she turned and mounted her bike with her companion sitting behind her. she started the engine, then drove away without another second wasted.

buzz!

takemichi picked up his phone, receiving a vapodrop note from kazua.

_____

from: kazua
4:30pm in front of harajuku station. a minute late, and i'm leaving.

_____