Bittersweet ||Chifuyu x Reader||

Sixteen || Cakes

-Art by marumarumyon_0808 on Instagram-

[Reference to chapter 150]

Nightfall came within the blink of an eye. It felt like it was just a second ago I was in the building where Mitsuya and Smiley were kept but somehow I ended up on the completely other side of town, parked in front of a different hospital for a reason nobody could have predicted.

My mind had been discombobulated the entire day. Nothing could phase me. It was as if a dark shadow had cast itself over my heart which blocked out anything which tried to pull me out of the depressive contemplation I had tumbled into ever since I found out Emma died. It wasn't supposed to fucking happen. Not her.

I forgot that Chifuyu was sat on the motorbike right next to me until he spoke when realising how tightly I was gripping the handlebars. "She's in there, don't you want to go see her?" He was talking about Emma.

But how could I? How could I possibly have the strength in me to see my best friend who died when I could do nothing to help her? I knew that Hinata was in there too, along with Mikey, Draken, and Takemichi. I wouldn't even be able to bring myself to face them either. Especially not Hina. "I can't." I choked out finally.

Chifuyu didn't say anything else, which I was grateful for. If I kept thinking about it I knew I would break down. And I had been trying to keep my cool the whole time.

Finally, after a long time of the two of us waiting, Takemichi stepped out the building. The corners of his eyes were swollen; he had been crying. I could only imagine the state of Mikey and Draken at the time and it pained me even more.

"Chifuyu... (Y/N)..." Takemichi mumbled when he saw us. For the past couple of months it had always been the three of us, and when it was the three of us I couldn't wish for anything better. But not this time. Not when we were gathered together after a death which may have just ruined everything.

It was safe to say Chifuyu was the most composed out of us at the time. "Get on, the whole gang is waiting." He demanded sternly. Takemichi did as he said and sat on the vehicle behind him. And with that, Chifuyu and I started up our bikes and we were driving back to the gang's hideout.

The ride back was as quiet as it was on the way to the hospital. There were no words to offer.

The city was engrossed with darkness when we reached the foot of the shrine. Takemichi and Chifuyu got off and were about to head up the stairs to the rest of the gang but stopped when they noticed I was still on my bike.

I rested my forehead against the handlebars in defeat, my hair falling in front of my eyes so they couldn't see my face. "You guys go on ahead. I can't do this right now." Just speaking alone was too much for me. It felt like a part of my soul had been ripped out which denied me from doing fundementally anything.

The two guys nodded understandingly and headed up the stairs to the other gang members while I remained where I was.

I cried. Quietly, I sat there and cried. The heavy realisation that Emma was gone and never coming back had finally kicked in when we were driving, I had been trying to hold in the mental breakdown the entire duration. Only the memories of the two of us going out every weekend to eat cakes together replayed in my mind, torturing me. The worst part was I didn't even know exactly what happened or the details of her death, I didn't listen to a thing Inui was saying after he told me she died. I hoped she wasn't in pain. But then, knowing Emma, she passed bravely with a smile. The thought made me even sadder.

But I knew those feelings were manageable and I knew they were controllable. Mikey and Draken were going through the exact same thing I was but I couldn't allow myself to break so easily for their sake. Toman's captain and vice-captain were out of the picture and the last thing they needed was for more members to be absent. I needed to put my feelings aside and rise up to fight for my friends. If Takemichi could do that much, so could I.

It was a hard thing to do, to bring myself off that bike and get to the shrine's staircase.

As I stood on top of the stairs, about to start walking down, I saw all of Toman on the platform below. They were leaving. Turning their backs and saying how they wouldn't be able to fight without Mikey. Takemichi and Chifuyu were just a few steps below where I stood and they were staring hopelessly at everybody who was leaving. I slowly walked down the steps towards them.

"Even if I have to go alone, I won't pull out from this fight." Takemichi said seriously.

"Right. Let's do a double suicide then." Chifuyu followed with a smile.

"Make that tripple." I interrupted. They both whipped around quickly to see me standing on the steps above, grinning like nothing happened.

And then a voice came from the crowd below. It was Akkun. "It's not just you guys! I'm with you, Takemichi! Always been with you!" The three of us remained silent as some of the other guys from the first division began yelling me too at their friend's inspiring words.

Angry and Hakkai appeared with Mitsuya and Smiley in wheelchairs who they picked up from the hospital. The two injured friends proudly stated to take the younger brothers with them.

I stood next to Chifuyu as gasps and murmurs erupted from the gang while more guys were inspired to join the war.

"Our chances to win is zero to none! But, if we run now, then consider it the end of Toman!" Chifuyu shouted loudly to the men below.

"Toman never runs away! We'll fight for Mikey's sake and show Tenjiku what we're really made of!" I yelled too. As the others were getting fired up, I felt a hand sneak into mine. I looked to my right to see Chifuyu holding my hand tightly in a smiling reassuringly at me. I smiled back, happy that he was right there with me with his hand in mine. It was like he was offering me comfort when he squeezed my hand lightly to remind me that I wasn't alone.

He turned back to the crowd and yelled one final time, "Even without Mikey, Toman will never lose!" And with that, everybody was reduced to chanting the name of our biker gang with determination.

"(Y/N), Chifuyu," Takemichi whispered. "I will save Emma-chan and Baji-kun. I won't let things end this way!" There was a rage I had never seen before in his innocent blue eyes and I kne he was serious. It made me smile.

Together, the three of us descended the stairs as we led the whole gang to our journey towards victory. The chants from our members never let up for a second.

"Toman! Toman! Toman!"