red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

chapter lxxxiv: promise sealed

the rest of the day was spent with careless laughter and hearty catch-ups. it has been so long since any of them felt as relaxed as they are now, and it was all possible because of one person.

they were able to laugh, joke around, and smile together once again.

to anyone present on that day, they will surely forget some moments because they were too happy. however, the feeling that they felt on that day will forever be remembered. that is what matters the most.

people need to remember the times when they were happy. they are just as important as remembering the sad memories that they all earn through their lives. after all, it is the meaning of being human. the capability to feel many kinds of emotions, embed them in their hearts, and remember how these feelings are so important is what makes their life so full of meaning.

"i finished all my taiyaki." manjiro grinned, proudly showing his empty hand to his friends as if they weren't fighting over that last piece that he thoughtlessly ate all by himself.

"cruel. too cruel." takemitchy cried between chifuyu and kazutora, having both of them patting his back in an attempt to comfort the male.

he loved the taiyaki, after all.

"kaz's taiyaki has always been the best around the city." draken chuckled. "she used to make us a ton whenever we hang out, didn't she?"

speaking of the girl herself, she was seated in another circle on the same picnic blanket. from the corner of manjiro's eyes, he could see kazua was happily chatting away with the girls.

throughout the picnic, they have been moving from one circle to another whenever they felt like it, and they somehow ended up with the men separated from the girls. when one of them tried to sit with the girls, emma was the first to shoo them away.

they were curious as to what they were talking about. what could be so important that they wouldn't allow any of them to hear it, anyway?

"by the way, izana." manjiro turned to his brother seated between him and draken. "how the hell are you alive? you were shot three times, dude!"

"yeah, you were bleeding to death, bro!"

"first time?"

"i wonder the same thing everyday." izana chuckled. he leaned back, resting his palms flat on the blankey behind him. "turns out, an ambulance was already there even before the fight broke off. they were able to rush me and kakucho to the hospital quick, so maybe that's why?"

"why the hell's an ambulance there, though?" draken asks.

"bet it's kaz." baji grumbled. "dumbass said she's including us in the plan when she already started all of it on her own before we knew it."

"come to think of it, she and takemitchy saved these two, as well." mitsuya points to draken and baji.

"eh, they saved you too." manjiro pointed at the silver-haired tailor. "sazu told me to come to that church when you were fighting taiju."

"she saved me too." kazutora raised his hand. "well, her and baji."

"dude, i thought you're supposed to be in jail for ten years?" manjiro was confused. "a lot has been happening. i don't even know anymore!"