𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄━━━S. Manjiro

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝘄𝗼

During the last year of your elementary school, you started receiving money from the information you give. All sorts of people started looking for you for whatever information they wanted to have, and you were more than willing enough to give them.

Your family is quite influential, which resulted in you having more connections to others. You used some and disregarded some. However once they've used up all their uses, then you will discard them like trashes and never look back. But if they still have uses, then you'll keep them by your side with your money and information.

Shuji Hanma was one of them. He is a bit twisted and his strength is not that much compared to Manjiro but he is useful. Not only does he understand whatever you say, but he also would do anything you order, who knows why though. If it's about beating up somebody, then he would help you out for free, but in the end, you'll end up paying him. It would be unfair for him after all.

However, ever since you went back to this timeline, you've cut off all of your contact with everyone related to your line of work. Including him, of course.

Sitting on the wet ground, Hanma started to laugh. "It's been a while! He said that you'll show up here so I followed what he said but... To think that you're really here...!"

Your eyes narrowed as you continued to listen. 'Him... Huh? That supposedly "him" should be Kisaki. At this point of time, they have already met each other and partnered up.'

A smile unknowingly formed on your lips as you recalled Kisaki's beaten-up state from earlier. "The guy you're talking about, he didn't know his place so I taught his ignorant self how to act in front of me." Upon hearing that, his eyes curved with delight while his smile widened. "As expected of you but..." Hanma propped his hands on his knees as he started getting up. "You're... Not my partner anymore, it's him. So I have to avenge him, shouldn't I?"

As soon as he regained his balance, he immediately rushed you with his fist. However, fighting alongside Hanma for a few years taught you his usual movements and habits. And so, you easily dodged him. You shot a glance at Mikey and immediately exclaimed, loud and clear, "Mikey! Some annoying brats want to attack Draken, watch him for me!" The louder, the better. You want to expose Kiyomasa and his gang after all. Manjiro was a bit listless for a moment, watching both yours and Hanma's exchange but after hearing your warning, his eyes immediately narrowed and got serious.

He started looking around for Draken and finally, it's just you and Hanma in the middle of the battlefield. You caught his incoming fist and pulled him closer to you. "It's really been a while." You smirked before landing a blow to his abdomen with your knee. And then another blow, and another.

You only stopped when your knee started to ache. With your grip, he couldn't pull away but he didn't attack with his other hand either. Who knows why. You ignore the irrelevant detail, you loosened your grip on his hand and let him go before taking a few goons of Moebius behind you.

Hanma, honestly, you didn't want him to be your enemy. You can't consider him your friend but he's at least your comrade. Now that he had sided with Kisaki though... It can't be helped.

"Hanma."

"Yeah?"

In both of his hands, he held the collars of the uniform of two Toman members, knocked out by him. You cast them a look before shifting your gaze towards him.

"If I ask you to join me again, will you?"

A smirk appeared on his face. Illuminated by the street lamp a few meters away, his face showed an indescribable expression of craze. "You were the one who cut me off first, but now you want me back?" He cackled with laughter while letting go of those two. He held his head with his hand and showed the word 'Punishment'.

You kept your mouth shut since he said the truth after all.

"Well, going back to your side doesn't sound so bad, honestly." Your expression didn't when he told you that, it looks like he has something else to add. "But, I have an even stronger feeling that things will be much more interesting if I stay by that guy's side." His eyes narrowed and a dangerous gleam flashed on his eyes.

"Moreover... If you're my enemy, we'll have more chances to fight against each other."

Hanma opened his arms and boldly declared, "We're on opposite sides now, [First Name]!" He laughed while taking a few steps backward and then ran towards Mikey's direction!

The whole time, he was held up by those goons of Moebius and was unable to check Draken's situation at all. Your eyes widened and was about to follow right behind him however when both of your arms were held, you immediately realized that you'll get distracted by these cannon fodders as well. "Hah..."

You looked over your shoulders, your face darkened from the shadow that cast on your face. "Hey. Who allowed you to touch me?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Blood mixed with the rain started flowing from your wrist. Hair is disheveled and your clothes are already drenched. This was far from your usual look, you're a mess.

Eyes cold and emotionlessly looked down on Ryuguji Ken's cold and pale body as he laid down on the ground, drenched in rain and with his own blood. Beside him was Takemichi, exclaiming his me again and again but he received no response from the stabbed boy.

You fell on your knees while taking out a handkerchief you had inside your pockets. "Draken-kun?! Draken-kun!!" You looked at Takemichi and narrowed your eyes, this dumbass, he's panicking.

You pressed that handkerchief on his wound, applying pressure while your other hand went and punched Takemichi in his face. "Hanagaki, why are you acting like he's dead? He's alive so calm down!" The blonde boy held his aching cheeks while looking at you with a dumbfounded expression. "T-Then..."

"What's the matter, Takemichi?!" It came from Manjiro. He was still preoccupied with those guys and is unable to rush here. To answer his question, Takemichi immediately exclaimed loud and clear for everyone to hear, "Draken-kun has been stabbed!"

'This thing is too short, I can't tie it up over his wound.' you clicked your tongue and glanced over Manjiro's direction. Both he and Hanma are fighting head-on again, the latter seems to be so determined to intercept Mikey. You took a deep breath of the smell of blood mixed with the smell of the dirt, it felt unpleasant.

"Hey, Hanagaki."

The blonde boy who regained most of his calm looked at you and waited for you to continue. "Take Ken away from here. If he dies, then everything you've worked hard for will end up in a vain." In your voice, there was an unknown emotion mixed within. Uncertainty, fear, or hope?

Whatever it is, even you yourself is unsure of it. "I'll watch your back so you don't have to worry about being followed.

You looked at him and a tranquil smile was on your lips. "I don't want him to die again, Takemichi."

Wrote this at 2:00 in the morning since I couldn't sleep, this chapter is messy and I'm too sleepy to edit it. Meow, meow

Published: May 9, 2022