BEING THE PERFECT COPY OF YOU

Chapter 25

Takemichi's eyes fell upon a letter that has been worn out from time. "Shin.." Intrigue, Takemichi opened the letter. A sense of trepidation gripped his heart. The words etched onto the paper seemed to dance before his eyes, each syllable was like a stab wound that came from someone from his past, someone whose presence had loomed over him like a specter.

With bated breath, Takemichi began to read, the words unraveling a tapestry of revelations that threatened to shatter the fragile semblance of his reality.

"Takemichi, If you're reading this you probably met Mikey or it's just Wakasa ruining my plans. I've been saving up to prepare yours and Izana's adoption papers. That's right, you ain't tweakin' I'm gonna adopt you both. So I really hope this letter finds you well and at the perfect timing." It's as though he can hear Shinichiro's voice echoing through the words of the letter, each syllable piercing his heart with memories and longing.

"I know things haven't been easy for you...It's okay to feel lost sometimes, to question the choices we've made and the paths we've taken. I want you to know that I understand. I understand the pain you are carrying, the burden of guilt that weighs heavy on your shoulders. You don't have to hide them from me, you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not.

You're always acting tough...sometimes I'm forgetting that you're just a child.

I know about your parents. I've known for a while now. I did not intend to know but I did anyway. Life dealt you a shitty hand, and you did what you had to do. I don't blame you. I never have, and I never will. It's okay to forgive yourself. Despite everything, you're still the same person I've shared so many memories with.

Don't let the voices consume you. You have so much to live for, so much to fight for. You have people who care about you, people who will stand by your side no matter what. I won't pretend to have all the answers, or to know what the future holds. But what I do know is that you're an amazing person, Takemichi."

Tears blurred Takemichi's vision as he read the heartfelt words, each sentence a lifeline in the sea of uncertainty. The weight of Shinichiro's understanding and acceptance washed over him like a soothing balm, easing the ache in his heart.

With trembling hands and weakened knees, Takemichi folded the letter, cradling it against his chest like a precious treasure. As he looked up, his gaze met with Izana's, whose confusion mirrored his own. Takemichi rose to envelop the bewildered boy in a warm embrace.

"Takemichi, what's happening?" Izana's voice trembled with uncertainty.

"Izana, we need to put an end to this," Takemichi whispered, his voice carrying the weight of conviction.

"What? What do you mean?" Izana's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Shin doesn't want any of this"

"Takemichi, who the fuck cares?" Izana's tone edged with frustration. "We're on the brink of something great—WE CAN'T JUST STOP SO SUDDENLY JUST BECAUSE A GUY WHO ABANDONED US FOR THIS FUCKER SAYS SO IN A FUCKING LETTER!" He said as he gestured angrily towards Mikey.

"You don't understand...Shin wasn't going to abandon you..he was going to adopt you." Mikey said, entering the commotion.

"You don't have a fucking word in this!" Izana said with so much frustration. "Shit like trust and friendship are just delusions"

Takemichi, his eyes pleading, interjected, "Izana, listen to Mikey. Shin had plans for us"

Mikey stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Shin gave his everything for us...He never stopped caring and he tried to make things right." As Mikey's hand found its place on Izana's shoulder, a gentle reassurance emanated from his touch, a silent promise of acceptance and belonging. "Shin used to always ask me and talked about having another older brother...Izana I'm your brother too...me and Emma will always welcome you with open arms."

Izana's gaze, once hardened with defiance, softened under the weight of Mikey's words. Doubt flickered within him like a flame struggling against the wind, illuminating the shadows of his uncertainty.

Takemichi, sensing the pivotal moment, spoke with a quiet determination, his voice a whisper of hope in the turmoil. "We've strayed from our path, Izana," he said, his words a plea for redemption. "Let's make things right,"

In the stillness that followed, a sudden crack shattered the fragile peace. Shock rippled through the room as they turned to witness the source of the disturbance. Mikey's shoulder is bleeding.

Their eyes widened in disbelief as Kisaki's figure emerged from the shadows, his visage twisted with a mixture of desperation and madness. "You're not gonna ruin everything...after all I've done...after all I've sacrificed!!" Kisaki seethed, his voice a venomous kiss, his grip tightening around the gun as he leveled it once more at Mikey. "Why do you always have to ruin everything for me?!" Kisaki's voice quivered with fury.

"I've planned everything from the start...Shinichiro Sano, that fucker is always around Takemichi and it made my blood boil so I told Kazutora about the bike you wanted which led to that  bastard's death...IT WAS ME! I DID EVERYTHING JUST FOR US TO BE TOGETHER, TAKEMICHI!" Kisaki laughed maniacally. His confession hung heavy in the air, revealing the depths of his deceit and the lengths he had gone to manipulate their lives.

Kisaki spat, his eyes boring into Takemichi with an unsettling mix of intensity and longing. "I did all of this for us to be together, Takemichi. Can't you see? You belong to me. You and I who got nothing but pain in this wretched world...will be together, until death do us part."

As the barrel of the gun trembled in Kisaki's grasp, a primal fear gripped the room, suffocating the air with its intensity. With a single, decisive motion, Kisaki pulled the trigger. But as the bullet found its mark, it was not Mikey who bore the brunt of Kisaki's wrath, it was Takemichi who crumpled to the ground, his lifeblood staining the cold floor beneath him. Shock reverberated through the room, freezing them in a moment of disbelief as the reality of the situation sank in like an anchor dragging them into the depths of despair. Especially Kisaki, who's still processing what he did.

"TAKEMICHI!" Their voices, united in a chorus of desperation and grief, shattered the oppressive silence.

Mikey, who got him first, held Takemichi carefully but trembling in his arms.

Takemichi's lips are upturned in a serene smile that seemed to defy the tragedy that had unfolded. Mikey, his voice trembling with disbelief, dared to ask the question that weighed heavily on their minds.

"Why, Takemichi? Why did you do it?" Mikey's voice cracked, a raw edge of pain lacing his words as he searched for answers in the depths of Takemichi's unwavering gaze.

Takemichi's smile remained unchanged, "I made a promise, Mikey," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of conviction. "A promise to Shinichiro, to protect those I love at any cost." With trembling hands, stained crimson with his own blood, Takemichi reached out to cup Mikey's face "You're honestly starting to look like him."

But Mikey, consumed by grief and guilt, refused to accept the truth before him. "Don't joke around, Takemichi!" he cried out, his voice trembling with desperation. "I-I'll fix this...I will do anything to fix this, Takemichi..h-hang in there..please.."

Takemichi's gaze then shifted to Izana, whose tears fell like rain, "Promise me," he implored, his voice barely a whisper now. "Promise me you'll always be on each other's side."

At that moment, Izana has no choice but to hold Takemichi's hands and agree. "I promise..."

As Takemichi's eyes grew dim, his smile remained, a final flicker of genuine warmth.

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Author's Note:
I'm really sorry if this seemed rush🥲 I feel guilty for not updating and I'm literally pressured😭