red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

chapter xxxi: brought to light

"followed?!"

"but there was no one there!"

"hell, we didn't even know you were behind us!"

kazua didn't hesitate to knock the three on the head to sit them all back down the couch. she folded her arms over her chest, glaring down at them with such power that even baji glued himself on the couch. they huddled together at the center of the couch, takemichi squished between baji and chifuyu.

"i said shut the hell up." she growls.

ting!

"sorry, ma'am."

they all immediately sat up straight.

even she's still trying to pinpoint who was following her, but having the three at her house right now is her priority. she will need to somehow convince her pursuer that the three toman members just came over for dinner.

"if they're from toman, or someone who has ill intentions to toman, then i'm already included in their plan." she thought. "i can't avoid a fight if they ever try to threaten toman by using me."

just when things we laying low, such a thing as this arises.

"it might be kisaki." she said. "or someone who works for him. kisaki should know that tailing me himself is dangerous on his end. until then, i don't want any of you coming near me, my house, or my school."

something was telling takemichi that kazua will prefer solving this problem on her own. it made him worry that things may not go too well.

if something happens to her, then the end result should be the same with mikey.

no, it could be worse.

kazua takes over mikey's heart, and losing her is just as bad as losing the rest of the founding members to him.

"sada-san, we're here to help you." he said determinedly. "we can track down whoever's spying on you. if we let this prolong, you might be in serious danger."

"don't be dramatic, hanagaki-san." kazua laughed, falling back on the bean bag behind her with a thud. "being born as a woman made my life in serious danger since the very beginning of it."

her eyes narrowed as she stared up at the modern chandelier. "i had people stalking me before." she admitted. "but this one feels entirely different. if i go by my gut, i'd say this has something to do with toman."

"so that's why you think it's kisaki?" chifuyu asks.

"takemichi mentioned that—"kazua stopped herself, sitting upright to gaze at baji. "—why are you here?"

"i know all about it. this dumbass spilled everything to me last week." baji planted a heavy hand on top of takemichi's head. the latter wasn't able to stop tears from spilling at the corner of his eyes because of the pain that went with baji's hand. "i haven't told mikey yet."

kazua's eyes shifted. "you told him?" kazua glared at takemichi.

"s-sorry, sada-san! chifuyu and i were talking about it when we were watching over baji-san. he overheard it and decided to ask us about the future last week."

"isn't this great, though? you have an extra brain now!"

kazua deadpanned. "you have a brain, doofus?"

"of course, i do!"

this certainly changes most of the things in her plan. she will need to be more careful now that they saved baji. to add to that, he knows about her involvement with toman too. he knows the reason why she saved him and draken.

with two lives saved, two lives more are to be protected. she simply can't focus on the other founding members just because she was able to save draken and baji. chances of kisaki going for them is still high, especially since the two are still recovering.

"wait, to clear things up," chifuyu gathered their attention to him, "i'm still confused. how were we able to save baji this time, but not in the past timeline takemichi went to if we did exactly as what happened in that timeline?"

"you don't need drastic changes to shift the future." kazua folded her legs under her, slipping off her lilac house slippers. "for one, i switched the blade kazutora has with a rubber knife."

"so that's why baji-san didn't have a second stab wound."

"mhm, then i had baji play with stray cats until late the night before the bloody halloween."

"that's why he was fatigued quick and passed out when he reached kisaki?!"

"you were the one who tossed the cats in my window?!"

"yep, and i already talked to emi-neesan about the ambulance before the fight, so we were able to rush you in quick." kazua glances at the long-haired lad seated to the right side of the sofa. "i called the police too."

"wait," chifuyu raises a hand, "does this mean you also knew that baji-san wouldn't take the knife out?"

"because he was fatigued, he'd easily fall unconscious after stabbing himself. i didn't want to risk it, though, which is why i taught you how to stop an open stab wound."

"my mother said the bill's paid by someone who didn't name themselves. was that you too?"

kazua whistled, looking away as she innocently scratched the back of her head. "maybe?"

"how'd you even get the money for that?!"

"stocks," was her answer. "after my parents passed away, i sold a lot of items in the house. that includes the two of three cars that we owned. some ancient stuff were here too. i had them up for online bidding."

"geez, i know you're smart, but i didn't think you'd be able to apply all that." baji smirked at her. "went through all the trouble just to save me? i'm touched, kaz."

"whatever. i did it because chifuyu looked like he's about to cry."

"wha—i didn't!"

takemichi and baji laughed at his flustered state, creating a comfortable atmosphere for the four of them once again. after awhile, baji's laughter eases down and he looks back at kazua.

"mikey wouldn't like knowing that you're being stalked, you know?"

"which is why none of you are supposed to tell him. whatever happens when the four of us are together, stays between the four of us." kazua said sternly. "i'll deal with it. i might be able to gather something important, so leave it to me."

"okay, but if you ever need help, sada-san," takemichi purses his lips together, "please, tell us. we need you alive, too, if we want to save mikey-kun."

"you don't," kazua thinks, smiling lightly. mikey is strong. he was able to live without her for so long, it won't be that difficult for him if she were to bite the dust too soon.

"yeah, i will." she grinned. "we're saving sano together, aren't we?"

"of course!"

"now, what happened for the past two weeks, hanagaki-san?"